Hitting a pothole on the road is painful for the riders in the car and can cause your vehicle some pain as well. But potholes are not only dangerous for you and your vehicle, as hitting a pothole can leave the same sized hole in your wallet as well. Studies have shown that car users spend billions of dollars every year on car repairs caused by pothole damages, and it’s a proven fact that you end up getting a hit on your car no matter how fast you’re to react. In short, potholes are a real curse for drivers.

What Damage Can A Pothole Cause?

Potholes can suddenly appear on the road, making it essential to keep a strict eye on the road, even when if it’s a road you drive along every day. Even though some damage is instantly visible, it takes you some time to realize that your car is not performing well on the road. The intensity of damage varies by the speed at which the tire hits the pothole and the depth of the pothole. The most vulnerable parts of your car to these potholes are tires, rims, suspension, chassis, and the exhaust, making these potholes nothing but minefields that can send you running to a Car Workshop in Abu Dhabi.

So, let’s dig deep into it to see what damage potholes cause to your vehicle and why it is necessary to avoid them when on the road.

Tires

When it comes to potholes, your tires are the most vulnerable part of every vehicle, as they are the only direct contact between your vehicle and the road. A bumpy and uneven road due to potholes can cause your tires serious damage, including sidewall lumps, tread tear, or even a puncture. Uneven wear and tear to your tires result in knocked-out alignment while holding a severe threat to damage your rims as well. Deep potholes can also result in a tire burst when on a higher speed which can then bust the wheels. Hitting a pothole at a higher speed can also make your car lose its balance causing a single-vehicle accident due to a rollover.

How A Pothole Causes This Damage?

A sidewall bulge is usually a result of the impact of your tire hitting the pothole, separating the liner of the tire from the sidewall, letting the air into the body of the tire. The car is at severe risk of a tire burst, which can even result in a rollover of your vehicle. When the tires hit the sharp edges of these potholes, depending on the intensity of the impact, the tire could even burst out to flat, unbalancing the vehicle at higher speeds.

To avoid such life-threatening consequences, it is always necessary to keep your eyes on the road no matter how often you travel on it. These potholes are a risk to you and the people around you on the road, so make sure to inflate your tires correctly.

Wheels

Potholes hold a severe threat to your car’s wheels as well. Running over a pothole can cause bends and cracks in your wheel, preventing your rims from forming an airtight seal with the tire. A bent or damaged wheel doesn’t roll smoothly as well, making your ride bumpy even on perfectly laid roads. The thing to note here is that it is pretty hard to locate chips on your wheels as they are tiny and mostly covered in dust.

Wheel alignment is another potential concern when it comes to potholes. A severe impact with the potholes can result in moving the wheels the ways they are not designed to, affecting the balance of your vehicle. The driver can even lose control over the car as it gets hard to steer due to the wobble of the damaged wheels.

What to Do If Wheels Are Damaged?

Damaged rims hold the potential to create some serious issues when on the road. Even though you can get the bends and slight cracks in your wheels repaired, but it is best to replace them. If you notice any wheel alignment issues, it is best to get them checked from a workshop before they make your vehicle rollover risking the lives of many on the road.

Suspension

The role of suspension in every vehicle is to absorb the impact while smoothing out the ride so that you don’t feel the bumps on the road. But, a sudden impact with the pothole can knock your suspension out, resulting in a variety of problems. A broken suspension can make the steering harder for you and you can even end up losing control of the vehicle. Furthermore, damaged suspension can cause wear and tear to the tires and make unusual sounds.

What to Do If Suspension is Damaged?

Broken suspension puts your safety at risk as the damaged suspension can damage the tires and even cause your steering system to malfunction. So, it is a must to get the suspension be it, the shock absorbers, springs, or control arms, replaced as soon as possible.

Body & Exhaust

Low profile cars are better to handle with acceleration of no match, but they are also the most vulnerable to potholes. Potholes can result in serious damages including rust and leaks in your exhaust and catalytic converter. Larger holes can result in bottoming out the undercarriage which then scratches against the road.  Damaged exhaust pipes make a lot of noise and can even make the car lose on some power. Furthermore, your exhaust will emit more polluted chemicals with a chance of even leaking exhaust fumes in the cabin as well.

What to Do If Undercarriage or Exhaust is Damaged?

Broken undercarriage and exhaust cause serious damages to your vehicle so, it is must to get them repaired. You should get the leaks of your undercarriage inspected and repaired on time to avoid any further damages and enjoy a smooth ride. It is also recommended to get the leaks of your exhaust fixed due to environmental hazards.