Pothole Survival Guide

Aug 03, 2023

How to protect your tires and wheels from the potholes that winter has left behind

Winter cold wreaks havoc on our roads, as water freezes and expands under pavement, creating cracks and sometimes crater-sized potholes that can cause expensive damage to your vehicle.

Tires, wheels, and suspension are all at risk. Past research by AAA found that pothole damage costs motorists about $3 billion a year total, with repairs averaging $300 per incident.

A direct hit at speed can ruin a tire, requiring an immediate tire change and likely replacement. Even if the tire doesn't deflate, the sidewall could be damaged, making the tire dangerous and potentially rendering it useless.

And unlike a nail-type puncture, a flat caused by a pothole can’t be temporarily fixed with a tire sealant kit. This underscores the value of having a spare tire onboard, even if it is a small, space-saver tire. Without a spare, a flat from a pothole means calling a tow truck.

But tires aren’t the only things that can be hurt by hard strike. A pothole can bend or break the rim of the wheel, preventing it from seating properly against the bead of the tire. And bits of the suspension could be bent or damaged, requiring a wheel alignment at best and expensive parts replacement at worst.

The shape and depth of the hole and the speed at which you are driving all factor into the severity of potential damage, but there are other considerations.

Many cars, for example, now come with low-profile performance tires, which have short, stiff sidewalls that can't flex and conform to a pothole edge as well as a taller, softer tire. As a result, such performance tires are more prone to damage from potholes. (This is something for car shoppers in the snowbelt to keep in mind.)

Should you experience pothole damage to your vehicle, your auto insurance may cover damage to hard parts of the car, but it won’t typically cover wear-and-tear items such as tires. However, tire protection is often offered for a low fee, and sometimes included, when buying replacement tires.

Such protections and other free perks can sway you to purchase from one retailer over another, but be sure you understand the restrictions before putting much weight on this benefit. Typically, the customer still has to pay for mounting, balancing, and disposal. That said, a road hazard warranty can be good protection, especially if you live in a pothole-plagued area and/or have expensive, short-sidewall tires.

Ultimately, the best protection against pothole damage is awareness, followed by speed moderation, a spare tire, and road hazard protection.

But there is one more trick: Run-flat tires are a good hedge against pothole damage. If one loses air pressure, you can safely drive for about 50 miles—plenty of distance to seek assistance on most routes. However, run-flats tend to ride stiffly, and because they are less common, finding a matching replacement tire while traveling can be a challenge.