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MINI vehicles are widely renowned for their high performance standards and smooth ride, but some models share a common problem: mushrooming shock towers. MINIs manufactured in the early-mid 2000s commonly experience this issue. If you own one of these models, you need to be able to recognize the signs of mushrooming shock towers and understand what may be causing it to happen.
In this article, we are going to talk about what to expect when your MINI’s shock towers are mushrooming and why this happens in order to prepare you to have the issue corrected before the problem gets worse.
The term “mushrooming,” when it comes to your MINI’s shock towers, is what happens when metal struts repeatedly slam into the shock towers. Over time, this will warp and bend the metal of the towers and form a mushroom shape.
As you can imagine, this warped metal is going to cause problems with performance while driving. Let’s talk more about that below.
When the shock towers of your MINI do begin to warp into this mushroom-like shape, you will gradually notice a marked difference in your driving experience.
The most telling warning sign of mushrooming shock towers is that your MINI will veer to one side of the road while driving. When the struts and shock towers are damaged, your vehicle will be knocked out of alignment and will cause this drifting. This is especially noticeable if the mushrooming is only happening on one side.
Your struts and shock towers are part of your MINI’s suspension system. They absorb the shock of rough terrain, potholes, speed bumps, etc. When any part of your suspension system sustains damage, you can expect a noticeably rougher ride. You will feel the impact of these bumps and holes more severely than is normal.
Finally, your visual cue that your MINI’s shock towers are mushrooming is a convex shape that, of course, looks slightly like a mushroom. Your shock towers are supposed to be flat. If they are bent in any way, they have sustained damage.
The shock towers of your MINI could be mushrooming for a couple of different reasons, both involving your driving habits and the terrain that you regularly drive over.
When you drive over potholes, gravel, uneven pavement, or speed bumps too fast, your suspension system has to absorb a higher impact. This causes your shock towers and struts to slam together. The more that you do this, the more damage the suspension accrues over time. To prevent this from happening more quickly than is normal, try to exercise caution and mind your speed when driving on uneven ground.
Specific models of MINI vehicles encounter this problem because the sheet metal used for the shock towers is far too thin to hold up against the frequent impact it has to endure. This is a manufacturing issue, as more recent models have stronger and thicker metal that will withstand frequent blows to the shock towers.
Even if you do exercise caution when driving, your MINI’s shock towers will likely mushroom in the end because of normal wear and tear. Nearly every part of your car will have to be repaired or replaced at some point because, with regular use, they wear down. This is inevitable. All you can do is be prepared and notice the early signs of failure.
If you suspect that your MINI’s shock towers are mushrooming, it’s important that you see a team of certified mechanics before a domino effect is triggered and your vehicle sustains even more damage, which can be expensive to repair.
European Service Center is equipped with a team of experienced automotive technicians. These mechanics have over 35 years of experience servicing European cars like MINIs. Our professionals boast a faster turnaround time for repairs and servicing than you can expect when you take your car to a dealership.
We are proud to say that we have eight locations in both Texas and Georgia for MINI owners to rely on when they need assistance. MINI drivers in the following cities can expect high-quality specialized care from the best certified mechanics:
When you need help, rely on European Service Center to get the job done right. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
* Mini Cooper Car image credit goes to: bruev.
