Toyota Service Tips: Why You Should Avoid Potholes on the Road

Do you keep you eyes on the road for potholes? Or, do you think they’re no big deal and, when you hit a pothole, you hold your breath and hope for the best?

Well, this Toyota Service Center is here to tell you not to take potholes lightly. In this article, we’re going to tell you all about the detriments of these hazards.

Do yourself (and your bank account) a favor and try to avoid potholes at all cost. While we’re not encouraging you to make any sweeping, jerkish moves out on the road, we do encourage you to sidestep them when possible.

Below, we’re going to outline the domino effect a bad pothole can have on your car and provide some general Toyota maintenance tips to make you car last.

They Deflate Tires

Aside from the obvious blowout, potholes can slowly lower your tire pressure, unbeknownst to you. This is a slow danger because low tire pressure can cause bulges on the sidewalls of your tires, possibly even denting your wheels.

Thankfully, however, by the time things progress to this stage, a problem of this magnitude will be noticeable and you can bring your car in for service. Without question, one of the most dangerous hazards out on the road is a blowout.

Losing control of your car alone or with passengers is a very scary place to be. But, one of the best ways to avoid this disaster is to keep a constant eye on your tire pressure.

They Kill Hubcaps

If your car happens to have hubcaps, a pothole is their greatest adversary. Typically, a hubcap is attached to a wheel by pressure clamps.

You can imagine how easy they might be to pop off, given the right amount of pressure. So, as your tires roll into and out of a pothole, they can pop right off, costing you anywhere from $20 to $150 to replace.

They Break Belts

When a wheel makes the unfortunate acquaintance of a pothole, it must drop into the hole and then gather up the energy to pop back out.

The bulk of the damage happens as the wheel exits the pothole. The level of damage varies, based on the diameter of the tire, the depth of the pothole, and your speed at the point of impact.

The larger the pothole, the greater the damage. And you’ll hear and feel it as it’s happening. To no surprise, the smaller the wheel diameter, he greater the damage.

Again, the most damage occurs as the wheel is popping back out of the pothole. So, the further it drops down, the harder it has to work to climb back out.

But, if the tire itself doesn’t blow out, there’s plenty of other damage that can occur. If a tire belt is broken, it may not immediately be noticeable to the untrained eye, but it can pose a serious safety hazard.

They Ruin Wheels

Wheels cost a tad more than hubcaps to replace. The average here can range anywhere from $40 to $500 per wheel.

What happens with potholes is that, typically, the tire will absorb most of the damage upon impact. But, if it’s underinflated (or even overinflated), then the wheels will take the brunt.

They can bend, crack, or break upon impact. Unfortunately, the repair options for wheels are quite limited. More often than not, the only recourse will only be a total replacement. And, if you purchase a car with alloy wheels, know that those wheels are even more fragile.

They Impact Shock Absorbers

Shock absorbers aren’t typically affected by potholes. We tend to see them wear out once there’s high mileage on a vehicle.

Still, a pothole is no friend to a shock absorber. One of the most obvious signs of a damaged shock absorber is leaking oil.

But, if you’re worried, you can test the efficacy of your shock absorbers by pushing down on any one of the four corners of your vehicle. If the vehicle pops right back into position, you may be okay.

However, if your vehicle bounces two or three times, this is a sign the shock absorbers have weakened to a point where you need to take your car in for service.

They Can Even Affect Your Suspension

Now, this would require a major disaster. But, it’s not unheard of. The trouble with potholes is that, when the wheels strike, they’re subject to damage on the fall into and out of the hole.

That marks two times that extreme force is transmitted to the suspension. This can knock out any number of moving parts within the suspension, including the tie rod, suspension arm, or steering linkage. What this does is knock the vehicle out of alignment.

Now, all four tires are at risk here, not just the one that struck the pothole. When your car is out of alignment, it causes the wheels to wear faster. Now, you’re looking at a couple hundred dollars worth of replacement tires.

In summary, “Are potholes dangerous for your car?” Without question.

Toyota Service Near You

No matter where you live, if you suspect your Toyota is in need of repair, seek out a Toyota Service Center near you. A simple search for “Toyota dealerships near me” will do the trick.

Indeed, the answer to, “Can potholes damage your car?” is a resounding yes.

The detriments of a nasty pothole can extend all the way up to the suspension of your vehicle. This is no way to enjoy the full effect of a smooth ride in a new or used Toyota.

All Toyotas are engineered to stand the test of time and serve as your roadside companion for hundreds of thousands of miles. So, take care of your faithful sidekick!

If you live in or around San Antonio, we invite you to visit us. Our Service Center is open from 7am to 7pm.

Whether you’re in the market for a new vehicle or service on an existing one, we’re here for you. We look forward to meeting you and adding you to our long list of satisfied customers!