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Honda Accord: Why is My Suspension Bouncy?

If your suspension is bouncing, then it will make noises and handle horribly, giving you a headache. Here you will read the possible reasons behind the bouncy suspension in your Honda Accord.

By Arthur Guerrero - March 17, 2015

This article applies to the Honda Accord (1990-2002).

If your car has a bouncy suspension there are a few possible things that have gone wrong. The suspension is a complex system that has a lot of parts and components, working together at the same time. When one is out of whack, it can effect the entire system. Here are the possible reasons causing your suspension to be bouncy. The top three include poorly matched springs, bad suspension bushings, and blown shocks.

Step 1 – Bad springs

This problem will mainly concern those who have opted to install aftermarket springs onto their car. Lowering springs inherently have a higher (stiffer) spring rate in order to cope with being lower. Most OEM shocks can't cope with the static decrease in ride height (coupled with the stiffer spring), which means that they wear out more quickly. Beyond the possibility of blown shocks, a poorly matched spring and shock combo will cause a bouncy ride if the spring is too stiff. If your car is still equipped with the original springs, then this is probably not your issue.

Figure 1. Low quality aftermarket springs may cause issues.

Pro Tip

If you bought aftermarket springs, it's highly recommended that you replace the shocks at the same time with an aftermarket option that is better suited to the spring rate.

Step 2 – Suspension bushings

Check your suspension bushings. Your suspension has a lot of bushings, and if they are bad, it will cause the ride to get bouncy. Ball joints, lower/upper control arms, and tie rods would cause the most dramatic effects. Look for torn rubber, or excessive play in the bushings.

bushings, suspension
Figure 2. Diagram of the complete suspension bushings.

Step 3 – Blown shocks

Lastly, the cause of the problem could be blown shocks. Inspect the shocks, and if there appears to be excessive oil or dirt on the shock and spring, then your shocks are blown. So they will need to be replaced. Sometimes when they are going bad and have not yet blown, you won't notice all the oil and dirt. If they have not been replaced during your ownership of the car and you have a bouncy ride, it would be best to replace them.

blown shock
Figure 3. A blown shock.

Pro Tip

If you have aftermarket springs, it is recommended that you pair them with aftermarket shocks. If you have aftermarket springs paired with stock shocks, then it is very likely that you have a blown shock or two. Stock shocks are not known for lasting long with aftermarket springs.

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