When you have a Mini Cooper, you are driving one of the most enjoyable, maneuverable, and fun cars on the road today. You’ll want to keep it in good shape with maintenance and service when it needs it. Your shocks are part of your suspension. When your shock towers malfunction, they may squash down into what we term as “mushrooming.”
A suspension is a system of springs, shock absorbers, and linkages that connects your Mini’s engine and transmission to its wheels. The suspension allows relative motion between the engine and the tires.
The main purpose of suspension is to reduce the vibration from road irregularities and provide steering stability. Without the suspension system, the wheels would bounce up and down over every small bump on the road, making for an extremely uncomfortable ride.
In addition, suspension helps to keep the tires in contact with the road, which is important for both safety and performance. When suspension components, like shock towers, wear out or break, it can have a major impact on the handling of your Mini. For this reason, it is important to have your shock towers inspected on a regular basis and repaired or replaced as needed.
What is shock mushrooming?
Mushrooming is a sort of harm caused over time to the structure and performance from your Mini’s shocks. This can result in problems with how well it handles while driving, specifically when going through potholes or other imperfections on roads that are not perfectly smooth.
Shock towers get increasingly rounded as pressure increases against them due their design. This also makes them more susceptible towards damage if you drive long distances often without maintenance.
Due to their specific material used in creating the shock towers, some Mini models are particularly vulnerable and may not tolerate pressure if they collide with other objects or while driving on bumpy or ill-maintained roads. The stainless steel used by some Mini models is too thin, and so it cannot sustain continuous force between the strut tower and shocks.
Signs Your Mini’s Shock Tower is Mushrooming
If you notice one or more of the following issues in your Mini, you may be experiencing mushrooming:
- Your Mini’s handling has noticeably worsened over time.
- Your car pulls to one side and you use more effort to keep it straight and in your lane.
- Your notice less fuel efficiency and that your engine is having to work harder to go the same distances as before.
- You may visually observe that your shock towers have a convex shape when you inspect them.
- The sheet metal that covers your shock tower may have torn away in a severe case of shock tower mushrooming in your Mini.
The Negative Impact of Mushrooming on Your Shocks
Your shock towers are an important part of your Mini’s safety. If your shocks are mushrooming, you should immediately contact our licensed mechanics to begin repairs as soon as possible.
The excessive moisture in the air can cause this problem because it makes metal parts, like springs, expand more than usual when heated by summer sun rays or after sitting idle for long periods during wintertime hours. This causes them to lose their shape over time, which can lead to dangerous driving conditions where the wheels may become misaligned, leading even further damage to your suspension system.
DART Auto Will Repair Your Mini’s Suspension Problems
At DART auto, our number one priority is to fix your car correctly the first time you bring it to us for an issue. Our long-time 
customers repeatedly return to us because they trust us and experience our quality workmanship with every service and maintenance performed.
When you visit DART Auto, our master technicians, with at least 10 years of experience and dealer training, will inspect and diagnose any problem with your car.
Dealerships and shadetree repair shops pay their technicians a commission, but our mechanics are paid with a salary. This means there is no incentive for them to hurry through a repair or to recommend any unnecessary parts or replacements. Because of this, we guarantee our workmanship with our generous, nationwide 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.
We proudly help drivers all throughout the Denver area and surrounding cities like:
Please call or visit our shop today to schedule an appointment for your Mini model!
