Potholes are the bane of any driver's existence. They are mainly caused by unpredictable changes in weather. After water seeps through the pavement, the groundwater expands and contracts according to the elements. Heavy vehicles and the carelessness of municipal corporations can also cause an increase in the number of potholes. Not only are these roads frustrating and tiresome, but they are also extremely bad for you and your vehicle.
Here are some of the ways they affect your car:
The obvious place to check first is the tires. Since the tyres are the first thing that comes into contact with the damaged road, they are the most damaged part of the car. Potholes cause damage like tread separation, flats, punctures, and sidewall bulges. This happens because the edges and sides of the holes are sharp, which compresses the tyres flat.
To prevent this damage, make sure you keep the tyres inflated while driving. The tyre pressure should be maintained as recommended by the manufacturer to lessen the damage caused by potholes.
No one wants to scratch the rims of their cars. But this is an important reason to avoid potholes as much as possible. Not only this, potholes make the wheels move in a way they are not supposed to. The wheels end up being bent, chipped, and cracked. All these damages hinder the wheels from rolling smoothly. This is not good for your car either.
People try to swerve when they see potholes, but it is not ideal. Swerving can make your car turn at an obtuse angle and puts a lot of stress on the front wheels as well as the tires.
The purpose of a car's suspension is to absorb the impact of any unlevel road. Once it absorbs the shocks and jerks, the ride you get is extremely smooth. However, even suspensions can only go so far in protecting your car from potholes. They cause problems in suspension like damaged shockers, misalignment, and malfunctioning ball joints. Misalignment can be easily fixed by your mechanic. But if you do not get it checked in time, it can drive your vehicle in one direction and can wear out your wheels a lot faster.
Keep a lookout for weird noises, vibrations, and poor driving quality. These indicate that something's off with the suspension and it's time to check it out. If possible, do try to avoid braking when hitting any potholes. Braking compresses the front suspension and might force the wheel down into the pothole.
Any car's exhaust pipes are built into the undercarriage or underbelly portion. Large potholes can cause your car to bottom out. This means that the undercarriage, along with the exhaust pipes, is susceptible to scratching up. This can cause leaky pipes to emit all kinds of pollutants, resulting in a major loss of power and weird noises. Further damage can cause already leaking pipes to emit toxic fumes which are hazardous to health.
Pothole damage is more likely in small cars and vehicles that are lower to the ground. Cars that are smaller in size have low-hanging sliders and bumpers that can suffer considerable damage to the body of the car.
