Pothole Damage

[Donaldp]

Drove from San Diego to Santa Rosa, north of San Francisco on 12/23 and hit a pothole on the Grapevine doing 70mph with right wheel(s) on the trip. The hit was hard and the car and or wheel has sustained damage. The car began pulling slightly to the right, the steering wheel now has a shake to it, and the steering wheel shakes even more while braking. None of these issues were present before.

When I reached Santa Rosa, since I was driving at night, I went to Discount Tire and had them rotate the visibly damaged OEM front wheel to the rear. The pull is gone, the shimmy while braking is gone, but the shimmy while driving is still present. I cannot tell whether the rear wheel that is now in the front is also damaged. Visually it looks okay. Spoke with my dealer in San Diego and they say the control arm can also be damaged as well as the wheel that was in the back. I'm picking up a new $550 wheel at the local dealer tomorrow to replace the damaged one. If both need replacing, that's $1,100. If the suspension is also damaged that's even more.

Anyone have any experience with potholes damaging wheels and or suspension? Were your symptoms similar to mine? Any legal advice?

[B-Time]

Contact whoever maintains the road. In many areas you can be reimbursed for the damages. Or contact your insurance company, and try to have them file the claim as a non-fault accident.

I've been through this in Philadelphia.

[ExhaustNote]

Contact whoever maintains the road. In many areas you can be reimbursed for the damages. Or contact your insurance company, and try to have them file the claim as a non-fault accident.

I've been through this in Philadelphia.

Unfortunately you will have very little chance of getting reimbursed in norcal. I've only known one person to every get reimbursed and that was only because that particular pothole had damaged numerous cars and was featured on a local news channel. Well, at least now you know the crappy roads we have to deal with up here.

[GSS5]

incurred about $1k worth of tire damage and unresolved steering damage (car pulls to right) about a month ago from a pothole. didn't even bother filing a claim. potholes are just a miserable fact of life.

[AudisticS5]

incurred about $1k worth of tire damage and unresolved steering damage (car pulls to right) about a month ago from a pothole. didn't even bother filing a claim. potholes are just a miserable fact of life.

Not entirely true. I damaged a wheel and my alignment once from a nasty pothole, got it fixed and filed a claim against the City of San Diego. You just have to write a written description of the claim, along with other supporting information such as photos and receipts/estimates for the repair. Granted this was back in 2000 when the economy was much better... times are different now but bottom line is, just try... you never know. If they feel it is justified they will pay you back.

[seanj130]

Not entirely true. I damaged a wheel and my alignment once from a nasty pothole, got it fixed and filed a claim against the City of San Diego. You just have to write a written description of the claim, along with other supporting information such as photos and receipts/estimates for the repair. Granted this was back in 2000 when the economy was much better... times are different now but bottom line is, just try... you never know. If they feel it is justified they will pay you back.

The shitty part about this is.. Were you driving on the shoulder at all? If there are thousands of cars that drive the road, and most of them will probably hit the pothole, why isn't any other car damaged?

I know it is a bad situation. I have wrecked a set of snow tires and rims in Maine up near Sunday river. There just is not much that you can do anymore. Nobody wants to take responsibility during tougher economic times. Better luck with your insurance company (with a no-fault, your rate should not go up).

Best regards,
Sean.

[BlkS5]

I hit a pot hole years ago in San Diego that dented my rim. I was so pissed that we pay highway and road taxes to maintain the roads that I called the city and complained all the way to the right person and they sent me a check for the new wheel.

Always worth a try.

[Donaldp]

The shitty part about this is.. Were you driving on the shoulder at all? If there are thousands of cars that drive the road, and most of them will probably hit the pothole, why isn't any other car damaged?

I know it is a bad situation. I have wrecked a set of snow tires and rims in Maine up near Sunday river. There just is not much that you can do anymore. Nobody wants to take responsibility during tougher economic times. Better luck with your insurance company (with a no-fault, your rate should not go up).

Best regards,
Sean.

Well, first off, I was not driving on the shoulder, but was in the slow lane of the Grapevine mountain pass where truckers drive. The weight of their vehicles is more damaging to the pavement than the weight of autos in the faster lanes. The reason that all cars don't get damaged is 1. we've had a lot of rain recently in So. California so the pothole could be new. 2. not every car has 19" rims with low profile tires so most would have not incurred damage, 3. a lot of cars have steel wheels, not aluminum wheels so those would fair better.

[UrbanLiterature]

So I'm guessing you opted out of the wheel and tire insurance?! My dealer quoted me $995, but I'm sure I'm getting some aftermarket rims at some point!

[kdstrunk]

I popped a tire in Colorado Springs. It was very expensive because I had to replace two tires but no rim damage. The odd thing was the low pressure warning didn't occur for some time, probably not until I got to 40 mph and considering the 2 inch gash in the tire it was flat for some time. I never considered filing a claim against the city but I doubt they would have forked over $800.

[boostinfd]

I hit the damn pothole yesterday around my parents area... The tire burested on the side wall... the wheel looks ok.. I'm driving on the damn spare tire untill the new one comes. Nobody in St. Louis had Goodyear Eagle f1 in stock.

SUCKS big time. 350$ out of my pocket for no reason.

[Donaldp]

Put both right side wheels in the rear for my drive back to San Diego and now have no shimmy in the steering wheel. This proves to me that both right side wheels are damaged, and/or out of balance and that I don't have suspension damage. Good to know at this point.

[TLM_S5]

I popped a tire in Colorado Springs. It was very expensive because I had to replace two tires but no rim damage. The odd thing was the low pressure warning didn't occur for some time, probably not until I got to 40 mph and considering the 2 inch gash in the tire it was flat for some time. I never considered filing a claim against the city but I doubt they would have forked over $800.

That's because my understanding of the 2010+ TPM system is that is doesn't measure actual tire pressure but rotational differences as compared to all 4 wheels/tires. If one is too far out of spec compared to the others it will light the warning light. Measurement requires the car to be moving at speed for a certain amount of time.

[Huey52]

I once contested a pothole bent rim here in MA and you're up against the final determination of the city lawyer who of course always finds for the city. "Act of God" stuff. Oh well, that's what insurance is for.

[pcs3366]

I once contested a pothole bent rim here in MA and you're up against the final determination of the city lawyer who of course always finds for the city. "Act of God" stuff. Oh well, that's what insurance is for.

MA roads are so trashy. Did you get a settlement in the end?