Expert warns Sudbury drivers to check vehicles for hidden damages from potholes

Potholes...by now we've probably all encountered a few.

You may have even been unlucky enough to have some damage done to your vehicle. Blown tires and damage to suspension are a couple of common complaints from drivers.

But what about some of the hidden damages striking a pothole could cause down the road?

Automotive journalist Justin Pritchard told CBC's Morning North that there are some things car owners should be aware of as the spring approaches.

"This is the kind of problem that we tend to focus on the immediate tire blow," Pritchard said. "Especially on social media, you see I hit this pothole, it blew my tire right away."

Pritchard said just as dangerous are the pothole strikes that could cause lasting damage or defects, things that may surface later.

"You could be driving to work this afternoon. You can hit a pothole you could not have your tire blow open, but maybe that tire has been damaged permanently," Pritchard said. "A couple of months down the line, during family vacation, hauling a trailer, maybe that tire gets aggravated by some other bump in the road or something else and you have a blowout at a later point."

Pritchard suggests drivers should be inspecting their tires visually, even if they don't feel a pothole strike was that serious. The costs could add up, otherwise.

"Any sign of anything funny going on from your vehicle, have it brought in and assessed by a professional as soon as you can," he said.

Things like strange bumps as your turning, squeaks, or other things you weren't hearing or feeling before the pothole.

"If you're lucky enough that you just blow a tire out, I mean that can range anything from probably something like $150 up over $300 to 400, just for a tire to be installed."

"There could be damage to dozens of other components aside from that, relating to your suspension and steering system," Pritchard said. "If you hit the wrong pothole the wrong way you could easily have a bill up into the thousands of dollars."

"Hopefully not, but there's definitely a possibility."

Sudbury residents can report potholes through 311, but a representative with the city adds that it usually takes between four days and a few weeks for a pothole to get fixed.

Listen to the full interview with Justin Pritchard by clicking on the audio link below.