The struts on your car are designed to control the rebound of the springs every time you go over an irregular road surface. This happens very frequently while driving, which causes the struts to wear, after several thousand cycles of compressing and rebounding. When this happens, the struts lose their ability to control the rebound of the spring, creating a bouncy and uncomfortable ride. Worn struts can also increase braking times because the vehicle's inertia is transferred to the front during braking, possibly lifting the rear wheels off the ground slightly and reducing or eliminating their braking ability.
Walk to the front of the vehicle and push the fender down with a high amount of force. If you are able to push the car down with ease, your front struts are worn and need replacement. Repeat the process at the rear of the car.
Jack the car and place on jack stands.
Look at the strut and see if it is soaked with oil. If it is, your struts are damaged and not working properly.
Drive the vehicle over rough surfaces to analyze the performance of the struts. If the struts are worn, you will feel the car bounce repeatedly, causing a very uncomfortable ride; struts that are operating correctly are able to damp the jouncing of the suspension.
