It’s Pothole Season in Colorado

March 14, 2011

Potholes on Colorado roads are a sure sign of spring, but not one that we look forward to. Hitting one can damage your car, but the good news is that unless you hit it really hard, most likely your tires will absorb the shock and you won’t damage your vehicle. Often, though, you will either have obvious damage or wonder if you DO have damage that may need repairs.

Signs of Damage Caused by Hitting a Pothole

Tire Damage

If you hit a pothole, the most obvious sign of damage is a flat tire. If this happens, pull over as soon as possible and change the tire, don’t drive on it and damage the rim. Often, with pothole damage, your tire will need to be replaced, but the rim will still be OK.

Even if your car seems to be driving smoothly and doesn’t show signs of damage, but you know you hit a pothole hard, check your tire and rim for damage the next time you stop. If the edge of the rim is bent, have your mechanic look at it.  It probably needs to be replaced. Do a visual check of your tire. If there is visible cord material or a bulge on the sidewall, replace it immediately. You don’t want to risk having your wheel assembly or tire fail while driving.

Alignment

Other signs of damage caused by hitting a pothole in the road are your car pulling to one side or the other or the steering wheel isn’t properly aligned. If you have either of these conditions, there is a good chance that your car has been knocked out of alignment and front end components may have been damaged. If you’re in the metro Denver area, call Southeast Auto Body.

Next week, Southeast Auto Body’s car care tip will talk about what causes potholes on Colorado roads, how to avoid potholes, as well as a resource list to report potholes in Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Denver, Douglas County, Arapahoe County and Jefferson County.

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