Winter is pothole season and this year, they are packing a powerful
punch. After hitting a pothole, most drivers wonder, “Is my car OK?”
While the tires and wheels can be visually inspected, there could be
damage to the steering, suspension and alignment systems that you just
can’t see. To help determine if hitting a pothole has damaged your
vehicle, watch for the following warning signs provided by the Car Care
Council.
- Loss of control, swaying when making routine turns, bottoming out on
city streets or bouncing excessively on rough roads. These are
indicators that the steering and suspension may have been damaged. The
steering and suspension are key safety-related systems. Together, they
largely determine your car’s ride and handling. Key components are
shocks and/or struts, the steering knuckle, ball joints, the steering
rack/box, bearings, seals and hub units and tie rod ends.
- Pulling in one direction, instead of maintaining a straight path,
and uneven tire wear. These symptoms mean there’s an alignment problem.
Proper wheel alignment is important for the lifespan of tires and helps
ensure safe handling.
- Low tire pressure, bulges or blisters on the sidewalls, or dents in
the rim. These problems will be visible and should be checked out as
soon as possible as tires are the critical connection between your car
and the road in all sorts of driving conditions.
“Snow, cold temperatures and rainfall can lead to potholes, and with
the wintery weather that has covered most of the country this year,
navigating the streets could be difficult,” said Rich White, executive
director, Car Care Council. “If you’ve hit a pothole and suspect that
there may be damage to the tires, wheels, steering and suspension or
wheel alignment, it’s worth having a professional technician check out
the car and make any necessary repairs.”
As a general rule of thumb, steering and suspension systems should be
checked at least once a year and wheels should be aligned at the same
interval. Motorists who live in areas where potholes are common should
be prepared to have these systems checked more frequently.
Potholes occur during the winter and spring months, when water
permeates the pavement – usually through a crack from wear and tear of
traffic – and softens the soil beneath it, creating a depression in the
surface of the street. Many potholes appear during winter and spring
months because of freeze-thaw cycles, which accelerate the process.
Potholes can also be prevalent in areas with excessive rainfall and
flooding.
Courtesy of Car Care Council
