What Happens When You Hit a Pothole? 8 Signs Your Vehicle May Have Damage
You see it a second too late.
There's a pothole directly in front of you, traffic is beside you, and there isn't enough time to safely avoid it.
THUD.
Most drivers have experienced that unpleasant moment.
Sometimes you continue driving and everything seems perfectly normal. Other times, you immediately start wondering whether that pothole just damaged your tire, wheel, alignment, or suspension.
For drivers in Fort Wayne and throughout Northeast Indiana, potholes are an unfortunate reality of the road. Indiana's changing temperatures contribute to the problem as water enters cracks in pavement, freezes, thaws, and weakens the road surface. Traffic traveling over the weakened pavement can eventually contribute to pothole formation.
But what actually happens to your vehicle when you hit one?
At The Auto Brokers of Waynedale, we know understanding the warning signs can help drivers recognize when a hard impact deserves additional attention.
Here are eight signs your vehicle may have sustained pothole damage and what you should watch for after a particularly rough hit.
Why Can Potholes Damage a Vehicle?
Your tires and suspension are designed to handle imperfections in the road.
Every bump shouldn't cause damage.
But a deep pothole creates a much more sudden impact.
The severity depends on several factors, including the depth and shape of the pothole, your speed, tire condition, tire pressure, wheel size, suspension design, and the angle at which you hit it.
A relatively shallow pothole at low speed might result in nothing more than an uncomfortable bump.
A deep pothole at higher speed can be another story.
The impact can potentially affect the tire, wheel, alignment, steering, or suspension.
That's why it's worth paying attention to how the vehicle feels afterward.
1. Your Vehicle Starts Pulling to One Side
After hitting a pothole, pay attention to whether the vehicle still travels straight.
If it suddenly seems to pull toward the left or right, the impact may have affected the alignment or another steering or suspension component.
Wheel alignment refers to the angles at which your wheels and tires meet the road.
Those angles are carefully adjusted so the tires work together properly.
A hard impact can potentially knock things out of alignment.
You may notice that you're constantly making small steering corrections to keep the vehicle traveling straight.
However, don't immediately assume every pulling sensation is an alignment problem.
Road crown, tire pressure, tire condition, and other mechanical issues can also cause a vehicle to pull.
The important thing is recognizing a new change.
If the vehicle tracked straight before hitting the pothole and noticeably pulls afterward, it's worth having it checked.
2. The Steering Wheel Is No Longer Straight
Here's another potential alignment clue.
You're traveling straight down the road, but the steering wheel looks slightly turned.
Maybe the vehicle is moving perfectly straight while the steering wheel sits a little to the left or right.
If that's new, it may indicate an alignment issue.
Your steering wheel should generally return to a centered position when you're traveling straight on a level road.
A significant pothole impact can potentially alter alignment angles enough that the steering wheel no longer appears centered.
Again, don't try to diagnose the exact problem from the driver's seat.
Just pay attention to changes.
If something feels different immediately after a pothole impact, that information can be useful when the vehicle is inspected.
3. You Notice New Vibrations
A new vibration after hitting a pothole deserves attention.
You might feel it through:
The steering wheel
The seat
The floor
The pedals
The entire vehicle
Vibrations can have many causes.
A pothole could potentially damage a wheel, affect a tire, disturb wheel balance, or contribute to another issue.
The speed at which the vibration occurs can sometimes provide clues.
For example, you might notice the vehicle feels normal at neighborhood speeds but begins vibrating once you reach highway speed.
Don't assume the vibration will simply disappear.
If it started immediately after a hard impact and continues, consider having the vehicle inspected.
4. You See a Bulge or Bubble in the Tire
After a particularly hard pothole impact, inspect the tire when you can safely stop.
Look closely at the sidewall.
If you see a bulge, bubble, cut, or other visible deformation, the tire may have sustained internal damage.
A sidewall bubble is particularly important to take seriously.
The outside of a tire doesn't always show the full extent of internal damage. A severe impact can damage the internal structure while leaving the tire inflated.
That means a tire can look mostly normal at first glance while still requiring attention.
If you see significant sidewall damage, avoid assuming the tire is safe simply because it hasn't gone flat.
Have it evaluated by a qualified tire professional.
5. Your Tire Pressure Starts Dropping
Sometimes pothole damage is obvious.
You hit the hole and immediately get a flat tire.
Other times, the problem develops more slowly.
A damaged tire or wheel may allow air to escape gradually.
You might hit a pothole in the morning, drive normally for several hours, and then notice your tire-pressure monitoring system warning later in the day.
If a tire begins losing pressure after a hard impact, inspect it.
Don't simply refill the tire repeatedly without determining why it's losing air.
Possible causes can include tire damage, wheel damage, or an unrelated puncture that happened around the same time.
Your tire-pressure monitoring system is there to alert you to pressure problems.
If the warning appears, check the tires rather than assuming the sensor is being overly sensitive.
6. You Notice Damage to the Wheel
The tire absorbs much of the initial impact when you hit a pothole, but the wheel behind it can also be affected.
Look for visible signs such as:
Cosmetic scratches aren't necessarily a mechanical concern.
A bent or cracked wheel is different.
Wheel damage can potentially contribute to air loss, vibrations, or other driving issues.
Some wheel damage can be difficult to see while the wheel is still installed on the vehicle.
That's another reason an inspection may be worthwhile after an especially severe pothole impact.
If you notice a new vibration combined with visible wheel damage, don't ignore it.
7. The Vehicle Feels Different Over Bumps
Your suspension helps keep the tires in contact with the road while controlling vehicle movement.
Components may include shocks or struts, springs, control arms, bushings, ball joints, and other parts depending on the vehicle's design.
A severe pothole impact can place a significant load on those components.
Afterward, you might notice:
Not every new noise means the suspension was damaged by the pothole.
Vehicles develop noises for plenty of reasons.
But timing matters.
If you hear a new clunk immediately after hitting a deep pothole, don't ignore the connection.
8. Your Tires Begin Wearing Unevenly
This sign may take longer to appear.
Alignment problems don't always create dramatic symptoms immediately.
Instead, you may notice unusual tire wear over time.
One edge of a tire might begin wearing faster than the other.
You may notice unusual patterns across the tread.
Uneven tire wear can have multiple causes, including incorrect tire pressure, worn suspension components, alignment issues, or lack of proper tire rotation.
If a pothole impact affected your alignment, however, continued driving may contribute to uneven wear.
That's one reason addressing an alignment concern early can potentially help protect your tires.
What Should You Do Immediately After Hitting a Pothole?
First, maintain control of the vehicle.
Don't panic or make an unsafe maneuver after the impact.
Once you can safely pull over, visually inspect the affected area.
Look at the tire and wheel.
Is the tire flat?
Is there a visible bubble or cut?
Does the wheel look bent?
Is anything hanging underneath the vehicle?
If everything looks normal and you continue driving, pay close attention to how the vehicle behaves.
Listen for new noises.
Notice whether the steering feels different.
Watch for warning lights.
Pay attention to vibrations.
If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it simply because the vehicle is still moving.
Should You Slam on the Brakes Before a Pothole?
Your first instinct may be to hit the brakes as hard as possible when you see a pothole.
The better priority is maintaining control and avoiding sudden unsafe maneuvers.
If you have enough time and space, reducing speed can lessen the severity of an impact.
But don't swerve into another lane, onto the shoulder, or into opposing traffic just to avoid a pothole.
INDOT advises drivers to leave plenty of space between vehicles, drive slowly, keep their eyes on the road, and change lanes to avoid potholes only when it is safe to do so. The agency specifically says drivers should not use the shoulder to avoid a pothole.
A damaged wheel is inconvenient.
A collision caused by an unsafe avoidance maneuver can be far more serious.
Tire Pressure Can Make a Difference
Maintaining proper tire pressure is important all year, but it can also affect how your tire responds to impacts.
An underinflated tire may not provide the protection it was designed to provide.
An overinflated tire isn't ideal either.
Use the vehicle manufacturer's recommended tire pressure, which is commonly listed on a label inside the driver's door area.
Don't use the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall as your target inflation pressure.
Fall is an especially good time for Fort Wayne drivers to monitor tire pressure because colder temperatures can cause pressure readings to change.
Low-Profile Tires and Potholes
Have you noticed some vehicles have large wheels with relatively thin tire sidewalls?
These are commonly referred to as low-profile tires.
They can provide a distinctive appearance and may influence handling characteristics, but the smaller amount of tire sidewall means there is less rubber between the wheel and the road.
That can make wheel protection particularly important when encountering severe road impacts.
This doesn't mean low-profile tires are bad.
It simply means drivers should be especially mindful of potholes, tire pressure, and road hazards.
Regardless of tire type, slowing down when conditions allow can help reduce the severity of impacts.
What Exactly Is Wheel Alignment?
Alignment is often misunderstood.
A wheel alignment doesn't mean someone physically straightens a bent wheel.
Instead, alignment involves adjusting the angles of the wheels according to manufacturer specifications.
You may hear terms such as:
Camber: The inward or outward tilt of the wheel when viewed from the front.
Toe: The direction the tires point relative to each other when viewed from above.
Caster: An angle related to the steering axis that influences steering and stability.
You don't need to understand all of these measurements to recognize a potential problem.
If your steering wheel is crooked, the vehicle pulls, or the tires are wearing unevenly, an alignment inspection may be appropriate.
Can One Pothole Really Damage Your Suspension?
Yes, although it certainly doesn't happen every time you hit one.
Suspension systems are designed to absorb road impacts.
A normal bump isn't something to worry about.
But potholes vary dramatically in size and depth.
Speed matters too.
The force generated when a tire drops into a deep hole and strikes its edge can be substantial.
INDOT has previously warned that pothole impacts can damage tires, wheels, and suspension components.
If the impact was severe enough to make you immediately wonder whether something broke, paying attention to the vehicle afterward is a good idea.
Why Indiana Gets So Many Potholes
Potholes aren't unique to Indiana, but our changing winter temperatures create conditions that contribute to them.
Water enters cracks in pavement.
Temperatures fall and the water freezes.
As temperatures rise, it thaws.
Repeated freeze-and-thaw cycles weaken the pavement.
Traffic then continues traveling over the weakened area, eventually contributing to pieces of pavement breaking loose.
INDOT explains that this freeze-thaw process is one reason potholes form on Indiana roads.
That means potholes can become especially noticeable as winter progresses and roads transition toward spring.
Can You Report an Indiana Pothole?
Yes.
For potholes on Indiana interstates, U.S. routes, and state roads, INDOT allows drivers to submit roadway concerns through its customer-service system.
City and county roads are handled differently. INDOT directs drivers to the appropriate local street department or county highway department for those roads.
Reporting a particularly dangerous pothole can help the responsible agency know there's a roadway issue that needs attention.
What If a Pothole Damages Your Vehicle?
Document what happened.
If it's safe to do so, note the location of the pothole and take pictures of the vehicle damage.
Keep repair estimates and receipts.
For damage believed to have been caused by a pothole on an INDOT-maintained roadway, Indiana has a tort-claim process through which motorists can submit a property-damage claim.
Filing a claim does not mean reimbursement is guaranteed. Claims are evaluated based on the circumstances and supporting information.
INDOT also notes that it is responsible for interstates, U.S. highways, and state roads, while local agencies generally handle city and county roads.
How Can You Reduce Your Risk of Pothole Damage?
You can't avoid every pothole.
Sometimes traffic blocks your view.
Sometimes the pothole is filled with water and looks like an ordinary puddle.
Sometimes avoiding it would require an unsafe maneuver.
But a few habits can help.
Leave enough following distance to see the road ahead rather than driving directly behind another vehicle.
Stay focused on the road.
Maintain proper tire pressure.
Keep your tires in good condition.
Reduce speed when road conditions are rough.
And if you can't safely avoid a pothole, prioritize maintaining control of the vehicle.
Pay Attention to Changes in How Your Vehicle Drives
One of the most useful things you can do after a hard pothole impact is simply pay attention.
You know what your vehicle normally feels like.
If the steering wheel suddenly vibrates, that's new.
If the car begins pulling right, that's new.
If you hear a clunk every time you drive over a bump, that's new.
If the tire-pressure light appears a few hours later, that's worth investigating.
Not every pothole impact results in damage.
But when something changes immediately afterward, don't dismiss it.
Find Your Next Vehicle at The Auto Brokers of Waynedale
Fort Wayne roads can throw plenty at your vehicle throughout the year, from potholes and construction zones to rain, snow, ice, and everything in between.
Understanding how your vehicle responds to those conditions can help you recognize when something needs attention.
At The Auto Brokers of Waynedale in Fort Wayne, Indiana, you'll find a changing selection of pre-owned cars, trucks, SUVs, and crossovers for different driving needs and budgets.
Whether you're searching for a used car in Waynedale, a used SUV in Fort Wayne, a truck, or another pre-owned vehicle, don't focus only on how a vehicle looks.
Pay attention to how it drives.
Steering, tires, suspension, ride quality, and overall condition all contribute to how a vehicle feels on Indiana roads.
And the next time you hear that unmistakable THUD after hitting a pothole, don't panic.
Just pay attention to what your vehicle tells you afterward.
