Do bad shocks make a noise?

Bad shocks and struts sometimes make noises. When a vehicle's shocks go bad, the noises may be caused by friction or banging from bumps and vibrations.

One way to check shocks by noise is to put weight on one corner of the vehicle and bounce three times. If there are squeaking or friction noises, the shocks may not be recovering correctly. Because shocks help prevent excessive bouncing on bumpy roads, the sound of bumping within the shock and strut area of the vehicle could be a sign of parts that need to be replaced. Other components of the suspension system may make squeaking noises during turns or other maneuvers that add stress to the suspension.