Potholes are a common hazard for tyres, especially in late winter and during rainy seasons. Good tyres and wheels can protect your car from these potholes, so you should invest in high-quality Tyres Colchester from renowned tyre brands such as Churchill tyres Colchester to safely drive your car over potholes.
In this blog post, we will talk about different types of pothole damage that can happen in your car. We also answer your questions related to potholes. If you are interested in pothole damage, then keep reading.
How is a Pothole Formed?
Potholes usually form when water flows into cracks in the road and freezes. As the ice started to expand, it created a larger crack. As the vehicles constantly put pressure on the road, they weaken and break away, and the crack gets bigger in size and forms a pothole.
According to a survey conducted by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, about 1.7 million potholes were filled from 2021 to 2022. In just one year, potholes caused an estimated £3 million worth of damage to vehicles, and it keeps increasing.
What Damage Can Potholes Do to Your Car?
Potholes can be sharp because of their rough edges, which can cause a puncture in your tyres. If the pothole is too deep and you are driving at high speed, it can sometimes even cause the rim of the metal wheel to bend, completely changing the shape. In some cases, the damage can be severe, and you cannot repair it; the whole wheel needs to be replaced.
It can also damage your suspension and change the wheel alignment, especially when the wheel hits a pothole suddenly. If you drive over a deep pothole slowly, that can damage parts of the undercarriage or even cause a dent in the exhaust pipe. In the worst case, a damaged or leaked exhaust may mean a complete loss of power.
If you hit a pothole accurately, just clip it with the side of the wheel. Two things will typically affect how much damage your car will face:
- The speed at which your car hit the pothole
- The depth of the pothole
Increase Tyre Wear and Tear
Tyres are made for contact with an even surface of the road, which means if you drive your car on potholes, it can cause some serious damage such as tread separation, sidewall bulges and even punctures.
The hard tarmac can cut into the tyres, damming the shoulder or snapping structural belts within the tyre. Maintaining the ideal tyre pressure recommended by the tyre manufacturer can help prevent pothole damage.
Damaged Wheels Through Potholes
Driving over large potholes can cause scratches on your rims or even damage to the wheels. Some deep potholes can impact your car’s wheels in a way that aren’t designed to handle.
Cars aren’t regularly driven over uneven surfaces so they have little resistance against wheel damage in these situations. Potholes have the potential to chip, crack or bend a wheel.
Minor damages such as cracks and chips are usually difficult to notice as the tyre may cover those damages. If the wheels are bent due to potholes, it can impact the performance of the tyres. Major chips, cracks or bends need to be replaced immediately, as they can hamper the safety of the vehicle.
Driving Over Potholes Affects The Vehicle’s Suspension
The suspension is responsible for supporting the vehicle’s weight to absorb rough road driving and ensuring the tyre stays in contact with the road. If your car comes into contact with a pothole, it can cause suspension issues such as damaged shock absorbers or broken ball joints.
Broken ball joints or a damaged shock absorber will cause a vibrating noise and wandering steering. You will need an experienced mechanic to inspect the suspension system before individual components are replaced.
Potholes Can Damage The Exhaust System
Exhausts are made according to the length of the vehicle and silencers are attached quite low to the ground. There is a high chance the exhaust system will scrape along the ground if it comes into contact with a deep pothole.
Even some speed bumps can damage the vehicle’s exhaust system. The tarmac can cause dents, scratches or even rip holes into the exhaust pipes or muffler.
In the worst cases, you may lose power because of the damaged exhaust system. Over time, you will also experience high fuel consumption as exhaust leaks cause the engine to use more fuel.
You need to inspect your vehicle, after encountering harsh scrapes. This may mean you have to get your vehicle checked by a mechanic so that they can jack up your vehicle and take a look underneath.
Will My Car Damage If I Hit Potholes At Slower Speeds?
Driving over potholes can cause damage to your car, regardless of speed. The suspension system may have less chance of getting damaged when driving over potholes at a slow speed, but the exhaust may have a higher chance of getting damaged if the depth of the hole is too deep.
As a car driver, the best thing you can do is to avoid potholes but if you don’t have any choice, then slowly drive over potholes to reduce the impact of damage to your car.
Driving Over Potholes Causes Alignment Issues
Alignment issues can be easily noticeable when turning your vehicle, as your steering wheel is off-centre, the handling feels loose, or the car pulls back in one direction. Over time, misalignment can cause tyres Colchester to wear down faster due to one side of the tyre being overused.
