How Hitting Huge Potholes Can Damage Your Car

If you were driving and hit a large pothole, you may have damage to your car that you are not aware of. It is important, however, that you determine if there is damage so the problem will not become much worse. To help, below are two problems you should have checked.

Damage to Wheels

You need to check your wheels after you hit a pothole. This is especially true if the wheels on your car are older. First, it can cause a small hole in the tire which will lead to a small air leak. You may have more damage such as hitting the wheels so hard that it caused your wheels to become misaligned. If this is the case you will likely have problems that you notice, such as your steering wheel not being straight when you are driving straight, or your car may pull to one side as you are driving. 

If your tires are very old this would be a good time to have them replaced. During the replacement service, the mechanic can repair the alignment problem. If your tires are not old, then you should have a wheel alignment done; this is much less expensive than replacing your tires. A wheel alignment will repair the problem for you so your car will drive normal again. 

Damage to Undercarriage

If the pothole was large and deep enough the undercarriage of your car may be damaged. If this happens, you may have a hole in the oil pan, muffler, or exhaust pipe. If the oil pan is damaged your car will lose oil on a regular basis. This can result in damage to the engine as the engine requires oil to function properly.

If the muffler was damaged, you will hear very loud noises while driving your car. For example, every few minutes you will hear a loud popping sound. The muffler will have to be replaced if you have this problem. 

If the exhaust pipe has a hole you will see fumes coming out of the back of your car. These fumes can also get inside your car. This is hazardous to your health as these fumes contain carbon monoxide. Over time, this can even become fatal. 

Other car problems can happen because of potholes, such as damaged broken ball joints, shocks, or struts. Services like D Wells Automotive Service can tell you of other problems that can happen if you drive over a large pothole.