Can a Pothole Damage My Car?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen it IS that time of year again when potholes start rearing their ugly heads once more. There isn’t much worse than driving down the road, minding your own business, when BAM! Your teeth just about get rattled out of your head because of the pothole you just hit.

To say it’s jarring is a bit of an understatement – potholes can do more than rattle you in the driver’s seat, they can actually do quite a number on your vehicle as well. Your car’s alignment, steering and suspension, tires and wheels all take a beating when you hit a pothole.

How can You Tell if A Pothole Has Caused Damage?

Have you hit a few potholes lately? Here are a few signs to be on the lookout for to determine if your vehicle might have been damaged.

• Pulling in One Direction
  If your vehicle has a hard time maintaining a straight path and veers off to one side or if you notice uneven tire wear, these symptoms mean there’s an alignment problem. Proper wheel alignment is important for the lifespan of tires and helps ensure safe handling.

• Loss of Control
  Swaying when making normal turns, bouncing excessively on rough roads or bottoming-out on city streets are all indicators that the steering and suspension may have suffered some damage. The steering and suspension are key safety-related systems. Not only do they determine your car’s ride, they also determine how your vehicle handles on the road. If any of the key components are damaged, you could easily lose control of your vehicle.

• Tire Damage
  Low tire pressure, bulges or blisters on the sidewalls, or dents in the rim are indicative of hitting a pothole. These problems will be visible and should be checked out as soon as possible since tires are the critical connection between your car and the road.

What Can You Do If Your Car Is Damaged?

Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council had this to say about potholes …

“Every driver knows what it feels like to hit a pothole. What they don’t know is if their vehicle has been damaged in the process. If you’ve hit a pothole, it’s worth having a professional technician check out the car and make the necessary repairs to ensure safety and reliability,”

If you have noticed any of these conditions in your own vehicle, come on in and have it inspected. Driving around with a bad alignment, tire damage or suspension issues can lead to more major auto repairs if not taken care of in a timely manner. And even more importantly, they can also cause some serious safety concerns as well.