Your car would jump when you hit a bump because of bad shocks, bad struts, bad suspension or even poor alignment.
If a part of your suspension fails, the vehicle may be more likely to "wander" around instead of tracking in a straight line, or feel loose as you steer.
This can be caused by other issues, too, such as poor steering alignment, which is possible on your vehicle even if the suspension is in great shape.
The most prevalent cause of vibration is problems with your wheels or tires.
The potential problems include improper wheel and tire balance, uneven tire wear, separated tire tread, out of round tires, damaged wheels and even loose lug nuts.
A car leaning to one side when driving is caused by either bad shocks, struts, springs, chassis or suspension problems.
If you continue to drive your car with it leaning to one side then it can cause damage to other components.
A Worn Tire or Bent Wheel Hub may cause your car to sway from side to side.
A Tire Balance or Wheel Alignment may be required or if your Tires are worn, it may be time for a replacement.
Other reasons What Makes a Car Sway are Faulty Struts or Worn Shocks.
The signs of bad shocks and struts include.
Car leaning to one side if one of the shocks or struts are bad.
Nose dive when braking.
Bouncy ride.
Vehicle rolls or sways when cornering.
Uneven tire wear.
Rear squat during acceleration.
Vibration in steering wheel.
Unusual noises.
Leaking fluid on exterior of shocks/struts.
Driving with failing shocks or struts has a direct impact on your ability to control your vehicle.
You may notice that your vehicle bounces excessively, rolls or sways abruptly when making a turn, or that you feel out of control when hit by a cross wind.
If your shocks are in bad condition, it can cause you to lose control of your vehicle when you speed up, which can easily result in an accident.
To prevent this, make sure to replace your shocks when they are wearing out.
Shocks and struts should always be replaced in pairs or, better yet, all four, for even, predictable handling and control.
After all, all four have been on the vehicle for the same number of miles and worked under the same conditions.
It's recommended that your vehicle's shocks and struts are inspected every 12,500 miles and replaced every 50,000* miles.
It's relatively easy to determine when tires, brakes and windshield wipers are worn out.