The shock absorbers on your vehicle are located behind your tires, and they play an important part in making sure you're safe while driving on the road. They prevent your car from moving up and down as much when you drive over a pothole or a bump in the road. This makes driving more comfortable, and it also makes driving safer because the shock absorbers ensure that your tires stay in contact with the road at all times.

Shock absorbers need to be replaced periodically since old shock absorbers can eventually start to leak. They're filled with hydraulic fluid, which is kept inside the shock absorber by a seal at the top. When this seal breaks down, the fluid inside will leak out. 

If you've noticed a puddle forming behind one of your car's wheels when it's parked, it may be from a shock absorber. To learn more about what the hydraulic fluid does in a shock absorber and what you should do if one of your shock absorbers is leaking, read on.

Why Do Shock Absorbers Have Hydraulic Fluid in Them?

The hydraulic fluid is what absorbs the energy when your car encounters a pothole or bump in the road and one of your tires moves as it travels over it. When your wheel moves, it presses on a coil that's attached to a piston that sits in the hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic fluid slows the piston down as it travels through the fluid, preventing the movement in your tires from causing your car to bounce up and down. The hydraulic fluid also absorbs some of the heat generated from the friction of the piston moving through it, which helps keep the shock absorber cool.

What Should You Do if Your Shock Absorbers Are Leaking?

If you have a leaking shock absorber on your car, take your car to an auto repair shop and have the shock absorber replaced. Shock absorbers start to leak when the top seal fails, and there's no way to repair the seal. You'll need to replace the entire shock absorber in order to repair your car.

It's a good idea to have all of your shock absorbers replaced at the same time. The top seals on your other shock absorbers are likely close to failure as well. Replacing them all at the same time means that you won't have to come back to the auto repair shop shortly after another shock absorber stops working.

Keep in mind that the shock absorbers in your car are an important safety component since they allow you to maintain control of your vehicle if you drive over a pothole or bump in the road. In order to stay safe while driving, you shouldn't delay having a leaky shock absorber replaced. Take your car to an auto repair shop as soon as possible to have your shock absorbers replaced.

Contact a local auto repair shop to learn more.