Does Hitting a Pothole Ruin Your Alignment?

How can a pothole change my alignment?

Your wheels are held in position by a set of arms, links and joints that can be adjusted or can flex. A sharp impact sends force up through the tire and wheel into those parts. It can nudge the alignment angles out of specification, and in a harder hit it can bend or damage a part.

Not every pothole does this. A slow roll through a shallow hole is very different from hitting a deep edge at speed, and some vehicles take impacts better than others. The point is that you cannot always tell by feel alone.

What should I check after a hard hit?

Once you are safely parked, take a minute to look and think back over the drive. These are the things worth noticing:

• Steering wheel: is it crooked now when you drive straight, or does the car pull to a side it did not before?
• Tires: look for a bulge or bubble on the sidewall, a cut, or a tire that seems to have lost air.
• Wheels: look for a bent or cracked rim, which can cause a vibration.
• Sounds and feel: any new clunk, rattle or looseness over bumps is worth mentioning.

When is an alignment alone not enough?

An alignment adjusts angles, but it cannot fix a part that is bent, cracked or worn. If a control arm, tie rod, strut or wheel took damage, the angles may not be adjustable back into specification, or they may drift out again soon after.

That is why a good alignment visit starts with an inspection. The technician looks at the steering and suspension parts first, so you do not pay to adjust a car that has a damaged component underneath.

Should I have the car checked even if it feels normal?

After a hard impact, a check is a sensible precaution. Small alignment shifts do not always change how the car feels, but they can still wear a tire unevenly over time. Mention the impact when you bring the car in, since it tells the technician where to look.

If the car pulls, the steering wheel is off-center or you notice a vibration or noise right after a hit, do not wait for the tires to show it.