Symptoms of a failing Rear Stabilizer Bar Bushing

Poor handling

You should pay attention to how your car feels, to the point that when it drives differently, you notice it immediately. If your rear stabilizer bar bushings start to wear out, the bar will be able to move back and forth. The entire purpose of the bar is that it doesn’t move, which stabilizes the car. When that is compromised, it will result in steering that doesn’t feel quite right. It might shock you to learn that the car will feel a lack of stability. But the steering will also be a little unresponsive. The car may feel a little delayed in turning, and the steering will feel heavier than it usually does.

Noises

Speaking of things you should probably pay attention to: Weird nosies coming from your car. If your car’s rear stabilizer bar bushings are wearing out, they’ll start to talk to you. There are two different noises that busted bushings will make. You might hear a squeaking sound due to a lack of lubrication. This will probably sound a little bit like metal-on-metal friction, because it is. And yes, metal-on-metal friction is exactly as nice sounding as you would think by the description. You also may hear a rattling or knocking noise. This is a result of loose bushings allowing the rear stabilizer bar to move around, rather than stay in place. Both of these noises will be heard primarily during times that your car uses the stabilizer bar, such as when making sharp turns, or when driving over bumps in the road.