You swerve around them, slow down when you can’t avoid them, and feel your teeth rattle in your head when you drive over them: those pesky, painful potholes. More than an inconvenience, potholes can cause serious damage to your car. One study estimates that Americans sustained $26 billion in car damage in just one year from driving over potholes.
What causes potholes to form? You can blame it on the weather. Ice and snow tend to damage and crack pavement. Road salting causes further damage. Before long, holes start to form. As water collects in these holes, expansion and contraction from the water freezing and unfreezing makes holes deeper and wider.
If you’re stuck driving on pothole-laden roads, be alert to the potential damage that potholes can do to your car. Start with your tires. When your car strikes a pothole’s edges, your tires could be seriously damaged, possibly causing a blowout. Sidewalls are especially vulnerable to pothole damage (look for bulging areas or cracks in the sidewall). This damage can extend to your wheels as well. The force of hitting a pothole can bend the rim of your wheel or even cause pieces to break off. Striking the harsh angles of a pothole may also affect the seal between your wheel and the tire. If you notice any kind of bulging or cracking or notice changes in steering, get your tires inspected by a professional right away.
If you’ve hit a pothole and then notice your car is pulling to one side, your car’s wheel alignment may be out of whack. Other signs that you may need your car re-aligned: your steering wheel looks crooked even though you’re going straight, you notice the front end of the car shaking, or you see uneven wear on your tire treads. Your car has multiple different components that affect the steering which could be affected by hitting a pothole. Your mechanic can check them to ensure all is well.
Other kinds of pothole damage to be aware of? Your car’s suspension helps absorb the physical jolts from a bumpy road and helps keep you in control. Look for extra vibrations, an unusual bouncy feeling, sagging in the front or back of the car, or problems with steering to alert you to suspension problems. The exhaust system – muffler and tailpipe – may be knocked out of place or have scrapes or holes that reduce their effectiveness. The undercarriage of your car may be bent or scraped, leading to rust damage.
If you’re concerned that a particularly nasty bump in the road may have damaged your car, best to bring it in right away for an inspection. Safety first!