While springtime is a great time to get out on the open road, driving can be hazardous this time of year for your vehicle because of potholes. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), “…1 in 10 drivers sustained vehicle damage significant enough to warrant a repair after hitting a pothole. With an average price tag of almost $600 per repair, damage caused by potholes cost drivers a staggering $26.5 billion in 2021 alone (Source: AAA, March 2022).”
Driving through potholes is a significant danger to various components of your vehicle, including your alignment, tires, and suspension. In this month’s blog, we examine the problems that can arise from potholes and signs to look for possible pothole damage.
What causes potholes?
Most drivers complain about the number of potholes on the road and tend to blame their county or municipal road departments. However, potholes are not necessarily the result of road maintenance neglect. In the springtime, you may notice more potholes appearing on the road that have been caused by the winter weather.
Potholes develop on road surfaces because of water that seeps into the asphalt. During freezing winter temperatures, this water freezes and expands, creating space within the structure of the road. Once the water thaws, pockets of space are created that now are susceptible to potholes. As vehicles drive over these spots in the road, they may put enough pressure on them to create impressions or holes in the road. This is how a pothole is formed. Potholes can also develop through heavy rains, when this excess water seeps into the asphalt and causes expansion and weakness.
How Potholes Affect a Vehicle
While it might not seem like a single pothole can cause problems for your vehicle, the jarring effect of driving through one at normal speeds can cause a variety of damage to your vehicle. If you have repeated encounters with potholes, that can put your vehicle at greater risk of damage. We look at three ways that potholes can put your vehicle in the shop for repairs.
- Wheel Alignment: When your vehicle’s wheels are aligned, this means that the wheels are adjusted in the same direction to reduce the chances of wear and tear and keep the vehicle in a true straight direction. Potholes can easily disrupt the alignment by forcing a wheel out of alignment with the others. Common signs of misalignment include steering wheel vibration or jerking, pulling to one side, and uneven tread wear on your tires. The longer you drive with misaligned wheels, the more damage may develop with your vehicle.
- Tire Damage: When you drive through a pothole at cruising speed, you can cause a shift of the air in the tire, resulting in a blowout to the sidewalls. Even if you do not have an immediate blowout, you may damage the sidewall enough to cause a leak. If you notice a warning on your tire pressure monitoring system, or the tire looks low, or there is a visible bulge on the sidewall, get the tire inspected right away. Sidewall damage is rarely fixable and requires full tire replacement.
- Suspension: Your vehicle’s suspension is a type of carriage that supports the weight and handling of the vehicle cabin. The suspension is designed to cushion the vibration and movement of road surface bumps from the cabin occupants. Potholes may weaken the important components of your suspension like the shock absorbers, which dampen the impact of road surface changes. Potholes can also cause damage to your suspension springs, which help to support the load of your vehicle. Potholes diminish the function of your suspension and may even cause direct contact damage to low hanging components. Signs to look for possible suspension damage include vehicle bouncing, nosediving of the front when braking, pulling to one side while driving, and overall poor performance.
Driving through a pothole is not 100% preventable, but you can do some things to minimize the risk of hitting a pothole with your vehicle.
- Keep an alert eye ahead when driving, and slow down if you see a pothole in the distance. Do your best to safely maneuver your vehicle around the pothole.
- Don’t brake when you are about to drive into a pothole. Braking can accentuate the impact that your wheel may experience going through the hole.
- Avoid puddles of water on the road, these are usually hidden potholes.
- Stay alert to changes in your vehicle that may stem from damage to your suspension, tires, or alignment.
If you would like to have your vehicle checked for pothole damage, contact the service professionals at Colonial Service Station to schedule an inspection appointment. We will look over your vehicle and make any recommendations for repairs.