How Potholes Can Damage Your Car

For car owners, potholes aren’t just an inconvenience. They can be costly and a recurring nightmare. These road hazards can happen anywhere, from bustling city streets to rural country roads, and their numbers rise during the winter’s freeze-thaw cycles.

Striking a pothole, especially at speed, can cause quite a jolt to your ride, but it risks serious harm to your tyres, wheels, suspension, and even your car’s bodywork. What starts as a minor vibration today can quickly spiral into something worse, like alignment issues, punctured tyres, or suspension failures, leaving you with a hefty repair bill and compromised safety.

While avoiding every pothole you encounter on the road is impossible, understanding their impact and what to do afterwards can save you time, money, and stress. In this article, we’ll break down how potholes can damage your vehicle, why getting repairs taken care of sooner rather than later matters, and some practical ways to minimise risks. 

How Do Potholes Form?

Potholes form when water seeps into the cracks on the road’s surface. During colder months, this water freezes and expands, weakening the pavement.

The surface deteriorates as vehicles pass over these crumbling spots, leaving cracks that eventually become potholes. Winter is the prime season for potholes because of heavy traffic and extreme weather conditions that speed up their formation.

Common Types of Pothole Damage

Tyre Damage: Punctures and Bulges

The impact from hitting a pothole can split tyre rubber or pinch it against the wheel rim, causing immediate punctures or slow air leaks. A weakened sidewall may develop a bulge, which increases the risk of sudden blowout even if the tyre doesn’t deflate immediately.

Driving on a damaged tyre compromises control and safety, so you’ll want to have your tyres inspected immediately. After an impact, check for obvious cracks, bulges, or sudden pressure loss.

Wheel and Rim Damage

Wheels absorb significant force when going over a pothole, often leading to bent rims, cracked spokes, or warped hubs. Bent rims cause steering vibrations, while cracks may lead to slow leaks or sudden tyre failure. Misaligned wheels also accelerate uneven tyre wear, impacting handling and stability.

Suspension and Alignment Issues

A severe pothole strike can misalign suspension components like shocks, struts, or control arms, leading to uneven tyre angles or broken parts. This damage often results in a rough ride, poor handling, or causing your car to pull to one side. Over time, any misalignment shortens the lifespan of any affected components, increasing the repair costs in the long run.

Undercarriage and Paint Damage

Deep potholes can scrape the undercarriage, damaging critical parts like exhaust systems, fuel lines, or oil pans. Debris kicked up by the impact might also chip or crack paint or scratch body panels, exposing the underlying metal to rust. When left unchecked, rust spreads quickly, compromising your car’s structural integrity and resale value.

Hidden Costs of Ignoring Pothole Damage

Minor issues from potholes often escalate into expensive repairs. Misaligned wheels, for instance, wear down tyres prematurely, while bent suspension parts strain nearby components.

Paint chips and scrapes to the undercarriage invite rust, which leads to costly auto body work or part replacements. Regular inspections help catch all these problems early, ensuring you don’t have to spend excessive money and ensuring your safety while driving.

How to Minimize Pothole Damage

• Slow Down — Reducing your speed before impact can lessen the force on your car.
• Avoid Swerving — Only steer around potholes if it’s safe; check your mirrors for traffic first.
• Maintain Adequate Tyre Pressure — Well-inflated tyres can absorb shock better.
• Stay Alert — Watch for puddles that can hide potholes, especially after rain.

Reporting Potholes and Claiming Repairs

Potholes deeper than 4 cm on roads or 2 cm on sidewalks should be reported to local authorities via government websites or National Highways. To claim repair costs, you should gather evidence by safely photographing the pothole and noting its location. Then, contact the responsible authority or your insurer.

Pothole Damage? We Have You Covered at Caversham Coachworks

Don’t let pothole damage impact your safety or drain your wallet. Act now to protect your vehicle. Delaying repairs increases the risk of dangerous blowouts, compromised control, and costly long-term issues like suspension failure or rust.

At Caversham Coachworks, we specialise in restoring your car’s safety and appearance with precision. Our team provides flawless colour matching and long-lasting repairs for traditional, hybrid, and EVs using high-quality materials, advanced techniques, and cutting-edge tools. We make the process easy and stress-free with our handy locations in Caversham and Abingdon.

Take the first step towards peace of mind by scheduling an appointment today. Or, use our free and easy estimator tool for a quick, no-obligation repair quote.