How Potholes Damage Your car

It is best to avoid potholes at all costs due to the amount of damage they can cause on your car. Should you drive through a pothole, it it recommended you check out for these signs of damage. 

Wheels/Tires:

Hitting a pothole at full speed can have considerable damage on your wheels and tires. The forces applied from the pothole can lead to bends, chips, and even cracks in your wheels. Tires are also highly susceptible to damage. If a tire is compressed enough on a hard edge, a puncture could form, the sidewall could form a bulge/bubble, and the tread might even separate. 

Body:

In principle, the less ground clearance a car has, the better it will handle. The lower a car is; however, the more likely it is to suffer body damage. A pothole can cause the bumpers and side skirts to scrape against the road. Bumper diffusers and splitters are even more prone to damage. 

Undercarriage:

Even the smallest potholes can cause the undercarriage to scrape against the road. Exhausts tend to be some of the lowest parts of a vehicle since they run along the undercarriage. This can lead to dented exhausts, mufflers, and catalytic converters.

Suspension:

The sudden forces applied from a pothole can lead to a variety of problems.The most common problem is misalignment but others include broken ball joints and damaged shocks/struts. 

Should you have a damaged wheel, read this article on replacing or repairing wheels/rims.