OUR VIEW: Repair shops may need shock therapy

When you visit a doctor with abdominal pain, you expect him or her to check more than just your stomach or gall bladder — you expect to get a more holistic approach that checks all your abdominal organs to diagnose the problem as well as spot any dangerous underlying condition that could lead to a serious health issue.

Auto repair technicians should approach the examination of a vehicle's ride-control system in the same holistic fashion, according to the parts industry.

The vehicle's ride-control system — tires, brakes, suspension and steering — work in concert to keep the vehicle on the road and under the driver's control. But if any of those parts is worn down, it negatively impacts the traction on the road and braking distance.

That's why ride control suppliers are encouraging repair shops to give consumers a full undercar inspection and report on their vehicles and alert them when any of those parts are worn and need replacement.

While many shops routinely note tire and brake pad wear and encourage customers to replace such vital parts for safety reasons, they seem more reluctant to discuss the routine replacement of expensive shocks/struts.

These parts usually are replaced when they are noticeably worn out or broken — long after the recommended replacement mileage of about 70,000 miles. With the average age of vehicles on the road hovering around 11 years, repair shops undoubtedly are seeing many vehicles with way more than 70,000 miles on the odometers.

However, many repair shops seem to be underselling shocks and struts as part of routine maintenance.

No doubt the aftermarket service industry is self-conscious about consumer distrust amid reports of dishonest repair shops recommending unnecessary parts replacement.

But when a customer's safety is at risk, the service shop is obligated to inform the customer of the condition of all parts of their vehicle, how the worn parts can impact the total optimum operation of the vehicle and how that in turn could impact the safety of the vehicle.

Shocks and struts offer more than just ride comfort. They absorb the roughness of the road so tires keep in constant contact with the road, enabling effective braking and steering control.

But they wear down gradually, and like some cancers, the symptoms are not noticeable to the average motorist until the worn struts start impacting other functions of the vehicle, such as traction and braking distance.

That's why it is important for shops to recommend routine replacement of shocks and struts as part of maintaining vehicle performance.

The price of such service can be a shock to the customer, but when the facts are properly explained, the shock is a better alternative to the possible crash that could happen with a dysfunctional ride control system.