It’s pothole season again—that time of year when winter and spring play tug-of-war, resulting in fluctuating temperatures that can wreak havoc on roads.
Potholes begin when water seeps through cracks in the road. In colder climates, that water can freeze and push sections of pavement upward; the eventual thaw results in unsupported pockets. (In warmer climates, soil erosion under the road can cause weak spots.) The continual pressure of vehicles may cause these weak areas to collapse.
So what should you do if you hit a pothole? Don’t ignore it—the bump can cause damage that may only get worse, says Jeff Cox, president of the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association. He recommends pulling over to a safe place and checking out the following parts of your car.
Tires
Hitting a pothole can be jarring to your tires, says Cox. And if the force is great enough, the sudden shift of air inside the tire can cause the sidewall to blow out. “Think of it as being like a balloon,” says Cox. “If you keep squeezing, at some point it will create its own puncture.”
If the impact has caused your tire to lose air, the vehicle’s Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light will immediately go on. But even if the tire is holding air, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Look for any bulges sticking out of the side. They could be a sign of internal damage, which means you’re probably going to need to replace the tire. “Most of the time the damage isn’t to the tread, it’s to the sidewall,” says Cox. “And, unfortunately, there’s no way to patch or plug a sidewall.”
Wheels
The hard angles of a pothole can also cause serious damage to your wheels. “The first thing to look for are bends or cracks in the side of the wheel, where the rim meets the tire,” says Cox.
If a wheel is bent, it won’t roll smoothly. Also, the airtight seal between the tire and the wheel could be compromised. “Sometimes you can see where the pieces have broken off and the wheel is dented in,” says Cox. “If there is visible damage, that wheel will most likely need to be replaced.”
Suspension & Steering
If you notice your car pulling to the right or the left, the pothole might have bent one or more suspension or steering components out of alignment. Not only will that cause handling problems, but if you just had to spring for a brand new tire, a misaligned suspension will cause it to wear unevenly—and wear out prematurely.
In that case, get your alignment checked. “Ask them to put your car on the machine, and then take a look at the report,” says Cox. “If the box is green, you’re good to go. If it’s red, that means it’s out of alignment. There’s really no gray area.” Fortunately, he says, if your car does need to be realigned, many shops run specials during pothole season.
If you’re ever stranded on the road, having Emergency Roadside Service (ERS) is essential–and it’s available at your fingertips through your GEICO Mobile app. Add ERS to your policy for peace of mind while you drive.
By Rod O’Connor
Rose McMillion says,
Is the damages by potholes covered with auto insurance?
Robert Diskin says,
Thanks for the “heads’ up. (!)
Robert LeBlanc says,
You’ve forgotten about Wheel Bearings.
These are often damaged from pothole impacts, even when wheel and/or tire damage hasn’t occurred.
Joan Goldman says,
I know I have hit a couple, these roads are terrible. Seems no damage yet, I do know what to look for . Thanks for info
brenda cox says,
Great information. Thank you
Maria Mark says,
Great timing about potholes! I found out the hard way when my brand new back tires were both bald on the interior side of the wheels, which I noticed during a rainstorm that my car was hydroplaning and couldn’t figure out what was going on. I took it to my mechanic and he said it looked like the axle was bent as the tires were “toed in” — I took it to the VW dealership and they had to replace my rear axle. Fortunately, GEICO covered the cost less the deductible. So, if you constantly hit potholes, better have your mechanic check it out. Also, my car did not handle any differently so I didn’t even know this had happened!
Ellen says,
Great information! Thank you!
Alex says,
Can we get renburst fot the damage
Oralia Garcia says,
Thank you so much for information on pot holes. Especially with all the road construction in our area.
NJEbo says,
Thanks for the important and pertinent information.
Bruce Mathews says,
Good to know you have our back with advice like this. People can’t get enough solid advice. Besides potholes it seems to me the opposite has probably many of the potential maladies associated with it as well. Thinking of hitting a rock or wood large enough to really jar a vehicle as much as potholes. Can you extend any other negative possible difficulties associated with running over something protruding up rather than sunken down? One needn’t be driving recklessly to have a pothole or boulder surprising and unexpected to be unavoidable.
Jacob says,
Thanks GEICO for the potholes article. It is very informative. How I can approach city of Dallas to fix it. There is a dangerious one in Dallas, I30 west and St Francis (HOV line).
George says,
Speed bumps can also do the same and especially the unibody frame
Letitia Stahnke says,
Thanks for the great. Info very usrful
Rob Palmer says,
i HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT CITIES AND TOWNSHIPS CAUSE POTHOLES BY NOT PROPERLY PATCHING THE ONES CREATED THE PREVIOUS YEAR. iN SOME LOCATIONS IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO CREATE EMPLOYMENT WITH A GROUP OF GUYS PITCHING ASPHALT FROM A TRUCK IN A HURRIED FASHION, INSTEAD OF HAVING AN EXPERT TEAM COME DOWN THE STREET AND , TAKING MORE TIME, REMOVE BASE AND PACK THE HOLE TIGHTLY WITH GRAVEL, TOP WITH FAST SETTING CONCRETE, AND FINALLY USE A FLAME THROWER MACHINE TO COOK HOT ASPHALT ON THE TOP, LEVELING THE TOP SO THAT IT HARDENS PERFECTLY FLAT WITHOUT BEING ABOVE GRADE FOR THE SNOWPLOWS OF NEXT WINTER TO HOOK ON AND REMOVE THE PATCHES, LEAVING FURTHER POTHOLES.
iN OTHER WORDS, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. CREATING TEMPORARY SPRING JOBS IS MORE IMPORTANT TO POLITICIANS THAN CREATING LASTING PATCHES.