Hit a Curb or Pothole? Tire and Alignment Signs

That bang you felt

It happens in a second: a pothole in a lane closure on State Road 7, a curb in a tight parking garage turn, a lip at a construction zone you didn't see in the rain. The car keeps going and the noise fades, so most drivers forget about it.

The damage doesn't always show at once. Here's what to check right after, over the next few days, and what to do about each sign.

Why one hit matters

AAA puts it plainly: when a vehicle hits a pothole with any force, the tires, wheels and suspension take the brunt of the impact. In an AAA survey, one in 10 drivers said they'd had vehicle damage from a pothole that was bad enough to need a repair in the previous year.

A curb strike works the same way, just from the side. The tire is squeezed between the rim and a hard edge, and the sidewall is the thinnest, least protected part of the tire.

Right after: a two-minute look

When you can stop somewhere sensible, look at the tire that hit:

1. The sidewall, both sides if you can. You're looking for a bulge or bubble, a cut, or a scuff that went deep.
2. The rim edge. A bend or a crack in the lip of the wheel can leak air slowly.
3. The tread. Check for a cut or anything stuck in it.
4. The pressure. If you have a gauge, compare it with the other tires and the door placard.

A bulge is the sign to act on at once. Michelin says a sidewall bulge generally means the cords inside were damaged by a severe impact, such as a pothole or curb, and that a tire with a bulge must be replaced. Its advice is to put on the spare and have the tire inspected. Don't plan to drive on it until a convenient day.

Not every mark is damage. Michelin describes small indentations (dips inward) in the sidewall as normal on radial tires. A dip is usually normal; a bump outward is not. If you're unsure which you have, have it looked at. Our guide to bubbles in the sidewall has pictures and more detail.

Over the next few days: what the car tells you

Some damage shows up as a change in how the car drives. AAA lists the signs worth acting on:

• The car pulls left or right. A hit can knock the wheels out of alignment and affect the steering. AAA says to have the alignment checked.
• The steering wheel sits off-center on a straight, flat road. Same cause, same check.
• A new vibration or noise. AAA notes that a hard impact can dislodge wheel weights, damage a tire or wheel, or bend or break suspension parts, and that new noises or vibrations should be inspected promptly.
• A tire that keeps losing air. It may be a bent rim, a slow leak at the bead or a puncture you didn't see.

Our car shaking checker walks through vibration symptoms by speed and when they happen.

Can it be repaired?

It depends on where the damage is. USTMA's repair guidance limits repairs to punctures in the tread area, and rules out repairs in the sidewall or shoulder. Impact damage usually lands right there.

Tap the area of your tire that was hit:

For the full answer on punctures and repairs, try Can My Tire Be Repaired?, and see our guide to plugs vs patches.

Alignment: what it is and when to check

Alignment sets the angles of the wheels relative to each other and the road. When a hard hit moves those angles, the car pulls and the tires wear unevenly, often on one edge. That wear is slow and silent, so it's easy to miss until a new set is half gone.

Have it checked if:

• the car pulls or the wheel is off-center after an impact,
• you see wear on one edge of a tire, or
• you're putting on new tires after a hit you remember.

We offer four-wheel alignment at our Sunrise shop.

How to make the next hit hurt less

You can't steer around every pothole, but AAA's advice helps:

• Keep tires at the placard pressure. AAA notes that underinflated or badly worn tires are more likely to be damaged by a pothole. Check monthly, cold.
• Keep enough tread. A worn tire has less rubber to absorb a hit.
• Watch the road ahead, especially in construction zones and after heavy rain when holes fill with water.
• Slow down before a hole you can't avoid, checking your mirror before any hard braking.
• Keep the suspension healthy. AAA says changes in handling, vibration or uneven tire wear can point to worn parts.

The after-impact checklist

If the tire needs replacing, shop by size and match the size, load index and speed rating on your door placard. In Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach we install at our Sunrise shop, or our mobile van can come to you if the spare isn't an option. Shipping is free to the 48 contiguous states and DC.