Q: When I hit a little bump or pot hole on my right passenger front side, it feels like it skids a bit

asked by on November 13, 2016

When I driver over a small pothole (not on purpose) or certain bumps in the road from construction of pavement it's only with my right front side just got new tires aligned and balanced and fixed my tie rod last week could it be control arm? How do I know if it's upper or lower? could it be my sway bar? Or would it be an axle problem

My car has 206000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

The A6 has some pretty large bushings in the lower control arms. Especially the ones toward the rear of the arm. When those bushings wear out, the rear of the control arm can flop around quite a bit, changing all the geometry in the front end. Depending on where you got the alignment, it should have been spotted by the alignment technician. But some of the tire chains are geared toward rushing as many alignments through as possible and they don’t always catch everything that they should. If you take the car to a dealer or a specialist you will pay more for an alignment, but this is a case where you will only get what you pay for. If you would like to have the front end inspected by a qualified mechanic first, you can contact YourMechanic and a technician can come to your home or office to do a thorough inspection of your suspension components so that this can be corrected.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Engine knocking is making me concerned
If the noise is coming from your engine or transmission, it should be diagnosed as soon as possible and you should limit driving until you have it checked. You could contact YourMechanic to come to you and give a thorough...
The engine is noisy
Hello. A noisy engine can be caused by many things. The first thing I would do is check the engine oil to make sure that it is not low. Low oil (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/oil-level-is-low-inspection) can cause engine noise, and even damage to...
Engine starts, but will not restart for an hour
If you have confirmed correct fuel pressure when you changed the fuel pressure regulator, I would next check the engine coolant temperature sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/coolant-temperature-switch-sensor-replacement) for the fuel injection system. That sensor, if failing, is generating a false "cold" reading, causing...
What else can i do to diagnose the exact problem of my cars miss fire on the 3rd cylinder?
If electronics and fuel supply have been ruled out, the next possible cause is a mechanical issue. Have a compression test done across all 4 cylinders. If #3 is lower than the other three cylinders, it is possible there is...
My vehicle is shaking when I drive past 50 mph
Hi there. From the description you have given, the drivability problem your vehicle has may be a fuel delivery problem. This would account for your vehicle not wanting to start that one day. Next day, you were entering the highway...
whats the best way to clean the throttlebody?
Hello. The best way to clean the throttle is to remove it from the vehicle. Find a throttle body or MAF cleaning product of your choice and use the nozzle that comes with it. When taking the steps to remove...
Cranks but does not start.
Hi there. Check the battery on the vehicle and make sure that it has enough voltage to start the vehicle. If the vehicle is cranking up and it sounds as it is about to start but it does not start,...
Car only drives in first and reverse
What you are describing may be a result of a faulty speed sensor, potentially low transmission fluid (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/transmission-fluid-service) or a even a faulty transmission control solenoid. As your vehicle travels down the road, the computer analyzes data being sent by...
2003 g35 fault codes, p1212 p1610 p1612 u1001. Car turns on runs at idle when dies
Hi there. It looks like you've got quite a few Infinity specific trouble codes that might point to the source of your start then shut off problem. The one that is troubling and confusing is the P1612 code, which indicates...

Related articles

What Are the Dangers of Lowering My Car?
It It has become fairly common for car owners to modify their cars’ suspensions to make their car ride lower. Usually aesthetics are one of the most important reasons for reducing ride height — many people prefer the appearance of...
The Best Used Cars to Buy if You Live Close to the Ocean
If If you live close to the ocean, your vehicle is going to be far more vulnerable to rust than if you lived further inland. And the fact is, when it comes to resisting rust, not all vehicles are created...
Is It Safe to Drive With a Broken Sway Bar?
Your car’s suspension is very complex and requires a number of different components to provide the handling and performance that you need. One...