My mechanic said my sway bar in my car needs replacement but it really isn't a safety concern. Is that true?

Question

WindAtMyBack · Accepted Answer

"He didn't say I need my sway bar replaced. I needed my bushings replaced"

Yea, it's VERY unlikely for the sway bar itself to break unless you got in a wreck or something. The bushings last a long time, but do need to be replaced eventually. Replacing them is something that probably won't have to be done more than once during the life of a car.

The bushings are rubber parts that cushion the attachment points of the sway bar. The sway bar helps stabilize the car during cornering, and maybe on roads with a lot of dips. It helps prevent side-to-side leaning as you corner.

The rubber bushings get old and crack. At that point they don't really need to be replaced. But once they start to fall apart it's a good idea to replace them. Once they break enough, what is left of them will completely fall out. Although even if they fall out completely, the sway bar will still work. You will likely get a clunking sound. Over time it could do damage to more than the bushing and end up being a lot more expensive to repair.

Bottom line is, if they are just cracked, they don't been to be replaced. If they are starting to fall apart or come out completely, get them replaced.

The bushings themselves are cheap. So you are mostly paying for labor to put them on.

"The bigger lesson is to get your breaks checked when you hear funny noises coming from them! They cost $625! Ruined discs, replaced calipers."

Brake parts have gone WAY up in price. A full set of rotors, calipers and pads costs quite a bit. If you buy them online you can save a bunch of money, but many garages won't install parts that you bought. Mechanics make money on the parts. They charge you full price, but they get a big discount when they buy them.

As for funny noises - ALWAYS pay attention to funny noises. And pay attention to anything else that seems like its different than it was before.

RavVid · Accepted Answer

A sway bar reduces body roll when cornering. I am a bit surprised you would need replacement but possibly there is a problem with sway bar bushings. How old is the car? I assume you are not rally driving.

I'd want to know what he has noticed that prompts him to think it needs replacement. I would expect it to last life of car excepting a crash. I have never heard of a sway bar needing replacement.

This where you do need a man. If only because mechanics feel safe bull shitting girls. It does happen. If you know a guy who does know about cars get him to call your mechanic. Failing that get any guy to call your mechanic and ask why.

A gal pal was up for the third successive replacement of an aircon compressor in short order. She didn't take my offer up the first or second time but I had authority to ring the third time. So I did and asked some analytic questions which established it could not possibly be the compressor but t would be on the expansion side.

It wasn't the compressor but instead was the expansion valve. None of the compressor replacements had been necessary. I am not saying it wasn't just honest incompetence rather than dishonest fraud.

At the least take the car to suspension specialist or have a phone chat with one if you can't rope a man in.

osmanthus · Accepted Answer

Mechanics usually tell people these things because they want more money, plain and simple; I mean there are some cases where you know legit you need a replacement but if the mechanic is telling you left and right that this and that plus that needs replacing and very likely it doesn't I usually would consult perhaps a manual or learn a little bit more about the vehicle in which you're driving maybe even asking if you car enthusiast friends or people that you know even online who actually look at cars to assess whether or not you actually need the replacement. One can be fairly confident that if the mechanic is spelling multiple replacement suggestions or even fixes even if he fixes something and charges you later for it that you didn't consent to and you may contest the charges in a civil courthouse.

PessicaJeter · Accepted Answer

It's not a safety concern, but it will make your car drive more smoothly if you get it fixed. It shouldn't be that big a deal for you to wait a few weeks to get it fixed so long as the handling of your car does significantly decrease before then, which it shouldn't.

Wallythewalrus2 · Answer

I really can't answer your question, as to whether or not it's a safety issue but I remember my dad had a Grand Am years ago and drove it for years with a bad sway bar. He didn't seem concerned.

lightbulb27 · Answer

the other lesson is to learn to do this yourself, but can be hard work and requires lots of tools... thus find a good friend to help. his price is very reasonable.

check the rest of the car. if this is a nissan murano, get rid of it now...

ohsheeT · Answer

It depends on what's wrong with it it might just need bushings but if it's bent that means that your tires are going to go out of alignment and go bald really fast. But they usually don't go bad it's usually the bushings that go bad rubber bushings not unless you hit something with it and bent it

ChicoFromThe305 · Answer

Did he explain to you what type of damage it has? The sway bar is part of the suspension, it's not a main part but it's one of them, it can cause misalignment or maybe rattling depending on the damage but it won't spin you out of control or anything, although it would probably make the driving smoother if you got it replaced.

FarmBoy13 · Answer

All you will notice is reduced handling if it’s bad. But you would have to hit something really really hard to hurt the sway bar itself. Normal things to go bad are sway bar links and/or bushings. Something I can do in a driveway for normally less than $100 depending on the vehicle.

Dargil · Answer

In a solid-axle car, if your sway (anti-roll) bar is a performance improver. Not having one is not a safety issue. If it is not broken and its mounting brackets and and grommets are intact, it is OK. If it is broken and dangling, it can come off without a safety issue.

Staximus · Answer

The sway bar shouldn't be bad unless the car hit something hard enough to bend it. Usually the bushings in the brackets holding it to the car or the bushings on the links that connect it to your suspension wear out. It is a simple job and should only take a mechanic an hour to do it, so 1 hour shop labor charge. The part should be about $100 to $200 unless it's a European car.

NathanDavis · Answer

if it needs replacement, then replace it... better safe than sorry

onedarkcloud · Answer

It affects the handling of the car which could be a problem when you least need it to happen Do not fool around with service needs on the front end of a car. No steering and crash!

OhLongJohnsoning · Answer

It's not really a safety concern, more of a comfortability concern, however, it could get a little tough to turn

Wise4myage · Answer

Get a second opinion, but don't mention the sway bar and see if they find it without being. asked.

msc545 · Answer

It is a concern. Have it replaced.

katiesmuff · Answer

I'd certainly get a second opinion

My mechanic said my sway bar in my car needs replacement but it really isn't a safety concern. Is that true?

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My mechanic said my sway bar in my car needs replacement but it really isn't a safety concern. Is that true?

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Does mechanic check if license plate is in good condition or I gotta go somewhere else for that?

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