Are all these potholes driving you potty?

The Vasstech team is offering a free pothole check across all of our garages. No charge, just part of the Vasstech ethos, to keep everyone safe and sound on the road. We will check tyres, wheel alignment, rims, ball joints, suspensions and undercarriage. There’s no need to book, simply pop in to your local branch, or if you’d prefer to let us know, use our online booking form to schedule your complimentary check.

Potholes are the bane of every driver’s journey, and thanks to this year’s ferocious weather conditions, there are more potholes than ever littering our roads. Potholes aren’t only uncomfortable to ride, but they can severely damage the structure of your car – the bigger the pothole and the faster you’re travelling, the greater the damage!

How are potholes formed?

Potholes occur as a result of a number of factors, the most common being bad weather, which the UK is no stranger to! As a result of this year’s considerably cold, wet and freezing conditions, road tarmac has absorbed rainwater, expanded as a result of freezing, and then contracted when temperatures have subsided. This process weakens the tarmac, and combining this with the friction of moving vehicles, in particular, heavy goods vehicles, creates the perfect conditions for potholes to form.

What damage can potholes cause?

Potholes are a considerable threat to your vehicle, with the top five components at risk of damage being integral to your car:

Tyres

An indication of pothole damage to your tyres is them being deflated. A tyre is designed to act as a cushion, protecting the rim of the wheel. When a tyre has lost significant air pressure, you should never attempt to drive as driving capabilities are significantly reduced, increasing the risk of losing control of your car.

Wheels/rims

If your car experiences a significant impact with a pothole, cracks or breakages may form across the wheel. It is recommended that if you do experience a hard pothole impact that you seek a professional inspection. If cracks are allowed to continue growing, the wheel may reach a point when the structure completely collapses.

Ball joints

Ball joints offer an important function, pushing and pulling the front tyres to allow steering. A clear sign of broken ball joints is misalignment or a complete disconnect between the steering wheel and the wheels. Ball joints are designed to pivot between the wheels and suspension of the car, connecting the control arm to the steering knuckle. If this bond is broken, the car cannot be steered.

Suspension

Collision with a large pothole can go as far as breaking your suspension. Indications of a broken suspension include a vibrating sensation reverberating throughout the car, or a complete collapse of the wheel. The suspension acts as a shock absorber, without it, a car is unable to absorb even the smallest of impacts, making it extremely unsafe.

Undercarriage

Impact with potholes can result in debris being sprung up, colliding with the undercarriage. Damage to these parts can gradually reduce the structural integrity of the car.

What’s being done about it?

While the pothole crisis is a ticking time bomb, the government has not allocated the resources or finances to make a significant improvement to the UK’s ageing road network. In fact, an estimated £9bn is required to fully repair the UK’s potholes, but only £100m has been assigned to the issue. With us having one of the coldest and wettest years in recent history, combined with a low fund injection for rectifying potholes, it is likely that people across the country will experience an influx of pothole damage.

Our promise to you

The Vasstech Team is offering a free pothole check across all of our garages. If you are concerned that your car may be experiencing any of the above signs of pothole damage, pop into one of our garages and a member of our team will give it a check over for you. No charge, just part of the Vasstech ethos, to keep everyone safe and sound on the road. We will check tyres, wheel alignment, rims, ball joints, suspensions and undercarriage. There’s no need to book, simply pop in to your local brand, or if you’d prefer to let us know, use our online booking form to schedule your complimentary check.