New struts on 2007 Buick Lacrosse with 30k?

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Recalculating

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This vehicle was purchased new in the family and never used much or abused. It has not seen pothole city driving or aggressive roadway driving. It has strut assemblies on all four.

There are no suspension noises or visible signs of leaks in the struts. There are no noticeable signs of excessive play on the bounce tests front or rear. However on the highway, it seems to wander and bounce seems excessive on dips in the roadway. It had a wheel alignment at 24k last year. No uneven tire wear.

What are the chances the struts are failing as OEMs from age with this little mileage on a 2007 Buick Lacrosse CX?
 
Milage doesn't really mean anything on suspension components

Should my on NYC roads for 13+ years vehicle need any suspension work?

"But it only has 47k on it"

Meaningless

Back OT...

Anti roll bar bushings and links are good?
What's the tire situation?
 
If you're going from a Mazda 3 to a LaCrosse you're going to have a different driving experience. The LaCrosse is tuned more for a smooth highway drive than a nimble handling compact like the 3. The LaCrosse will make you feel like you're driving your sofa down the highway.
 
Lots of parts beside the strut itself to wear. Car is / out of warranty?

Go to (a trusted) Dealer Service Center or local Specialist Suspension shop for an assesment and no-obligation quote.

Also strongly suggest you peruse and possibly post in a forum dedicated to owners of this make/model.

Finally check on make/model recall or advisory data (if in USA then National Traffic Safety Board {NTSB} database.

'07 is not that new as far as GM's advanced shock/strut technology goes but possible in a LaCrosse I guess: what is the OEM Ride Control system? Might be technology failure vs mechanical failure and that is definitely not mileage related.

Also how new is this car or model of car to you? Maybe normal suspension tuning?
 
Thinking this through diagnostically, to me the single-point failure that fits all this is a bad spring.

If you had one bad spring it can account for the road behavior you describe and the lack of signs you observe. Bad springs are uncommon, but not "rare" and the age is right for one with a porosity or other defect somewhere in the coil to "break bad," so to speak.

Wandering makes it seem like a front spring, does the bounce seem to emanate from there or from the rear?
 
Originally Posted By: Oro_O
Thinking this through diagnostically, to me the single-point failure that fits all this is a bad spring.

If you had one bad spring it can account for the road behavior you describe and the lack of signs you observe. Bad springs are uncommon, but not "rare" and the age is right for one with a porosity or other defect somewhere in the coil to "break bad," so to speak.

Wandering makes it seem like a front spring, does the bounce seem to emanate from there or from the rear?


Interesting diagnosis. Broken Springs are rare but nothing is un-heard-of.

Any possibility the car was operated or regularly carried a passenger of 300+ Lbs? That condition can be very bad with regards to premature suspension wear and imbalance.
 
Originally Posted By: Recalculating
....However on the highway, it seems to wander and bounce seems excessive on dips in the roadway. It had a wheel alignment at 24k last year. No uneven tire wear...



Easy call. It's time for replacement.
 
Thanks for the posts. Hopefully below replies to most of the comments to my question.

No heavy people riding in this vehicle. This vehicle replaced a 1999 Buick Ultra I had owned since new so I am familiar with Buick ride in comparison to the Mazda 3 and this Buick as well. Original tires on this Buick were changed out in 2013 at 24k. There are no sags or an uneven appearance as it sits. I knew when it was time to change the struts and air shocks in the BPAU some time ago and it was at the approximate same age but the BPAU had many more miles. This Buick ... 30k.

When this vehicle had its alignment, it did not need excessive adjustment nor did the oem tires have uneven wear. There are no worn sway bar links or other suspension parts appearing broken. Again, no noises in the suspension when it wanders or seemingly bounces too much.

I have always done my own maintenance on vehicles ( 20 + years ) unless it's warranty work. I get hives walking into dealerships for service. It's from too many experiences as a young family man and getting taken to the cleaners. Now much older and wiser with my own garage, tools and experience.

I'll continue to monitor this and if determined, I'll just find the replacement struts for all four corners (when of course on sale with rebate) and have at it. Certainly, replacing the struts will give me a good look at the mounts and spring coils to see if they are part of the issue as well as all other suspension parts. It still looks like new underneath and so it is ...what it is.
 
Originally Posted By: Oro_O
.

Wandering makes it seem like a front spring, does the bounce seem to emanate from there or from the rear?


I'd say this Buick front end dives then bouncing seems excessive as exampled going over a bridge where it reconnects to the roadway. I can not get the vehicle to dive in heavier than usual braking.
 
Originally Posted By: Recalculating
... Original tires on this Buick were changed out in 2013 at 24k. ...



This really jumped out at me!! Tires only lasted 24k....wow.
 
The good news is that all the major brands make quick struts for your car, so replacing them will be easy
smile.gif
 
What tires?, inspect the struts very well for leaking.

I'd suspect leaking struts.

That buick isnt a 1993 Cadillac but they can be quite Boaty going down the road.
 
Last edited:
Struts are simply a piston that goes through a thick fluid. If they're not leaking and the mounts are good, then there is no need to replace.

Now what does wear out with mileage are the springs. Typically you'll see the front or rear end start to sag, and the car will bounce going down the road. A strut that has lost its fluid will also do this.
 
You think that was too soon? The struts on my Odyssey leaked in 2005 after just three years and it was not too long after the 36K warranty ended. I totally wasn't expecting that but stuff happens.
 
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: Recalculating
... Original tires on this Buick were changed out in 2013 at 24k. ...



This really jumped out at me!! Tires only lasted 24k....wow.


Original tires lasted about 6 years. Even if the tread is still thick, they're not to be trusted any more. The new low CFC manufacturing processes produce a great tire but one with only a 6 year life time, less if mostly parked in a hot parking lot and not driven.
 
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
Struts are simply a piston that goes through a thick fluid. If they're not leaking and the mounts are good, then there is no need to replace.

Now what does wear out with mileage are the springs. Typically you'll see the front or rear end start to sag, and the car will bounce going down the road. A strut that has lost its fluid will also do this.


I've wondered about this, your typical dampener has a "high speed" and a "low speed" valve, and various other gizmos. I suspect the most fragile valves blow first, and go unnoticed, until most if not all are gone, then the strut is determined to be shot, when the tire is bouncing down the road like a basketball.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: oilpsi2high
Struts are simply a piston that goes through a thick fluid. If they're not leaking and the mounts are good, then there is no need to replace.

Now what does wear out with mileage are the springs. Typically you'll see the front or rear end start to sag, and the car will bounce going down the road. A strut that has lost its fluid will also do this.


I've wondered about this, your typical dampener has a "high speed" and a "low speed" valve, and various other gizmos. I suspect the most fragile valves blow first, and go unnoticed, until most if not all are gone, then the strut is determined to be shot, when the tire is bouncing down the road like a basketball.


Don't forget the pressurized gas charge. That can leak out while the oil stays in place. A strut that has lost its gas will sag, and not dampen as well.

Between the gas and the valves eljefino mentions, I don't agree that "Struts are simply a piston that goes through a thick fluid."
 
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