Call us now on 01252 370701

Pothole Damage

Pothole
Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash

The blog this week is about what damage could be done to your Volvo or Toyota if you hit a pothole. And let’s be honest our roads are in a sorry state, so the probability of hitting a pothole is quite high. Everyone is trying to save money at the moment, interest rates are rising, fuel bills are rising, food costs are soaring etc so when it comes to owning a car, we need all the help we can get to keep costs down. Read on to find out more:

As the cold winter comes to an end and the warm weather starts
our roads are literally covered in potholes. Potholes occur during winter and spring mostly as ice begins to melt and there is a lot more
running water which disrupt the base layers under the tarmac. As your Volvo or Toyota drives over the weak spots that have been created the road starts to deform resulting in cracks, more and more cars driving over these cracks begin to chip away at the tarmac resulting in the potholes we are seeing. With the current state of affairs with the councils going bankrupt and no money in the pot for roadworks the ones that didn’t get fixed last year are getting bigger and new ones are popping up left right and centre. The more cars that drive over potholes the bigger and deeper the hole becomes. So, what type of damage to your Volvo or Toyota can occur? Read below to find out.

Tyres – If you drive over potholes please check your tyres as soon as possible. The sort of damage you should be looking for is bulges to the side walls of the tyre – this is not fixable and will require a new tyre. The same applies if you have separated tread. One way to help protect your car is to ensure that your tyres are correctly inflated – this will help protect your tyres and other parts of your car from damage. We have written many times on the importance of correctly inflated tyres – a couple of minutes every week or 2 checking this can save you hundreds in the long term. Imagine having to replace a tyre that has plenty of tread on it due to damage from a pothole because it was under-inflated. You would be livid!

Wheels – check for any cracks, chips or signs of bent wheels. This can happen when there is a deep pothole.  It’s best to do this when the wheels are clean. If you are in any doubt as to what you are looking for but are aware you hit a big pothole than take your Volvo or Toyota to your local independent garage for professional inspection as wheel failure at high speed can be fatal!

Suspension – if you find after hitting a pothole that your Volvo or Toyota is pulling to one side, your steering is vibrating or you hear unusual noises it is best to take your car to your
local independent garage for further inspection, you may have damaged your suspension or knocked out the tracking. We are getting a high volume of vehicles in with broken coil springs at the moment. You risk further avoidable damage if you continue to drive your car whilst you have this problem which will inevitably rack up the repair bill. Don’t stick your head in the sand, this issue will not go away on its own.

Be aware that there are potholes all over the place at the moment and we think the situation will only get worse, so alter your speed accordingly, try not to swerve or slam on your brakes to avoid them – you must be mindful of other road users. So to try and protect yourself from damage keep your tyres inflated correctly and slow down. You may be able to make a claim for damage to your car – contact your local authority and also report the pothole, keep any receipts for the repair and take photo’s of your car and the pothole if possible. Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire.