Hitting that pothole at 40 miles an hour can do some serious damage to your vehicle. And a busted tire is the least of your worries. Pothole damage can affect your car’s suspension and steering components, shocks and struts, exhaust systems, tie rods and much more. In fact, Pothole damage accounts for nearly 500,000 insurance claims each year and many of them may not be covered by your insurance company.
E3 Spark Plugs offers a few signs that your car may have pothole damage.
- Rolling or swaying on turns
- Front-end dives when braking
- Rear end squats when accelerating
- Bouncing or sliding sideways on a rough or winding road
- Bottoming out or heavy thumping on bumps
- Sitting lower in the front or rear when stopped
- Loss of directional control during sudden stops
- Bulging in the sidewall area of the tire
- Dents, leaks and rusting on the rims and undercarriage
If your vehicle shows any of the above signs, E3 Spark Plugs recommends you head to your most trusted mechanic. Pothole damage that goes unrepaired can have disastrous effects later on. Damage tire walls can cause a tire blow-out days or weeks down the road. And damaged tracking causes excessive wear on tires, which can compromise cornering and braking.
Check the E3 Spark Plugs blog regularly for more vehicle maintenance and repair tips. And be sure to use E3 car spark plugs, truck spark plugs and motorcycle spark plugs for a stronger, cleaner, more efficient ride.