Potholes And Damage To Your Car

Posted June 13, 2017

The roads around Holland, MI are not always in pristine condition. Although it may affect you little more than causing irritation, getting a bad jolt from a pothole or hitting a curb can damage your car in the long run more than you are aware. Even if your tires are unaffected by the initial shock, it may have thrown off your car’s alignment or damaged your steering and suspension components. This can cost you more money in the long run than had you just needed to a fix a flat tire.

Potholes And Wheel Alignment

When a car’s wheels are out of alignment, the tires wear irregularly. This causes the them to need to be replaced much more often than they would with just regular wear. Consequently, the car’s gas mileage can also suffer, leading to increased fuel costs. What could have been inexpensive to fix can end up costing hundreds over time in gas and tire costs.

Damage To Steering And Suspension System

Other than the alignment, a bad jolt from a pothole can also damage your car’s steering and suspension systems. These systems include shocks & struts, tie rods and tie rod ends, bushings, hubs & wheel bearings, rack & pinion, sway bars & sway bar links, etc. All these systems need to work together to keep your car moving down the road efficiently.

What Trained Auto Technicians Check For

The simplest, and most important, solution is to bring your car into a trusted shop immediately after any bad jolt to have your alignment and steering and suspension systems inspected by an ASE Certified Technician. A properly trained technician can use a 3-D laser alignment machine to perfectly align your car’s front end, as well as inspect the integrity of all the components in the steering and suspension systems. Even if you haven’t hit a pothole or curb, it’s still a good idea to have your alignment and steering systems checked every six months (every other oil change) to make sure that you’re saving as much money as possible.

The team of technicians at D’s Auto & Truck Repair are experienced in chassis and suspension work, and can educate you on diagnosis and repair recommendations. Contact Us or Call Us at 616.796.9929

Categories: Car Repair

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