Pothole season is on its way to West Michigan, and our guess is it's going to be a doozy. This winter's erratic pattern of freezing and thawing is fast-tracking the process that forms potholes, which as any seasoned Michigander knows, wreak havoc on your vehicle. The best way to avoid damage to your vehicle is to avoid potholes altogether, but sometimes that simply isn't possible. In this article, we'll go over how potholes form, what parts of your vehicle they could damage, and steps you can take to minimize their impact. Let's get started!

Where Do Potholes Come From?

Potholes form when water seeps into cracks in the pavement during a thaw. Then, two things happen. First, the water can wash away the layer of sand or substrate below the pavement, which supports the asphalt and keeps it level. When the water freezes again, the water expands as it turns into ice, prying the cracks open and letting even more water in when there's another thaw. Eventually, whether it's the blade on a plow truck tearing it open or enough of the substrate has been washed away beneath, the pothole implodes leaving a hole in the road. What's worse, these vary in depth from an inch to several, and if they're full of water it's impossible to tell.

So I Have No Choice But To Drive Through A Pothole. What Do I Do?

If you're driving and spot a pothole (or a suspicious puddle in most cases) the best course of action is to safely navigate around it. However, it could be that there's opposing traffic on a two-lane road, someone next to you, or simply no room to avoid it. If you're vigilant, you can take a couple of steps to minimize or even eliminate damage to your wheels and suspension.

?First, slow down as much as you safely can. The speed you're going factors into how much force is suddenly exerted on your vehicle on impact. Remember, you're hitting the side of the pothole opposite you and then climbing out. That means you're going to want to drive through it as straight as possible, as this spreads out the impact into the width of the tire and not the metal rim. The rims can crack if they impact on an angle, and don't absorb nearly as much shock as the rubber tire can. The less that gets through the initial impact, the less your suspension has to absorb.

Now that we've got the "why," here's a quick play-by-play of what to do:

1. Brake and square up with the pothole to go through it straight and as slowly as is safe.
2. Just before impact, release the brake. Hold the steering wheel firm to prevent the vehicle from being thrown to the side.
3. Wait for the rear wheel to clear the pothole and gently apply the gas.
4. Feel and listen for any new noises or changes in handling.

What Can Be Damaged On My Vehicle By A Pothole?

There isn't a simple answer to this. Any number of things can be damaged ranging from splits in your tire to blown shocks or even a cracked windshield. Though in most cases where there's severe damage, we end up replacing parts of the suspension. Some of these parts, such as the shocks and to a lesser extent the coil-over struts, need to be replaced over the life of your vehicle anyway. If the pothole damage is just to these parts, the repair is pretty simple. However, other parts like the tie rods and control arms can be bent or damaged too, and for those, the repairs will take a little longer.

If your vehicle suffers cosmetic damage, our Collision Center is here and will work tirelessly to restore your vehicle to pre-incident condition. That includes sourcing top-quality or genuine OEM parts, thoroughly inspecting your vehicle for hidden damage, to working with your insurance company on your behalf. We have courtesy vehicles available as well, so you don't need to rely on renting a vehicle if your insurance doesn't cover it.

?In other cases, the damage may be very minor and all you need is a new tire or even just an alignment. Our technicians will look over your vehicle carefully and recommend what needs replacing now and what can wait until later. If you've noticed any strange handling or noises after driving through a pothole, Schedule An Appointment with the Borgman Service Center today and see why we're the Best in the West!