I have been told I need to replace the struts on my car at 45,000 miles. What would be the signs to tell me this is true? I was shown where they had leaked on the cylinder however the place they showed me where it leaked was dry not wet.

If the car ride rough.
If you get vibrations going down the road.
Note where you car sits level, push down on the corner, when you let up it should settle almost immeditately.

Struts and shocks stablize the car when driving. usually when they are bad if you hit a bump it will continue to bounce 5,6,7 times. also to check you can go to the suspected strut and bounce the car by pushing down on it do this several times and if the car keeps bouncing it is bad. it should only bounce once. and if stuts or shocks leak it would be wet on the cylinder where it came out