Hit a pothole. Damage assessment needed?

[SZR48207]

Was not a particularly big one, but the feeling of it was quite "sharp". Not sure of the depth of the hole. I have rigid front mud flaps that are around 9" high off the ground and those are in fine shape.

Recent snow/ice in my area probably created it and then slushy snow hid it from plain view. Was doing around 30-35mph at the time in my Tacoma.

Alignment afterwards was fine, no odd tracking, no noises or vibrations.

 

[Chris142]

Cars are designed to take potholes. Control arms are mounted with rubber as is steering racks. There is a good chance that nothing was damaged.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I have hit many potholes and fortunately never messed up anything. As stated above they can take potholes. If it isn’t showing any signs I think it should be fine.

 

[Nick1994]

In a Tacoma, you're probably fine.

Last summer I hit one bad in the Genesis. Put a big bubble in the sidewall.

 

[dishdude]

This thread has responses from OK, CA, VA, and AZ. You haven't seen a pothole until you've been in NY, NJ or PA. I hit one in PA so big I thought the Cobalt I was driving fell in it. Somehow it emerged unscathed!

 

[daves87rs]

You should see the ones here in MI.....quite bad!

Think the truck will be fine.....

 

[bbhero]

This thread has responses from OK, CA, VA, and AZ. You haven't seen a pothole until you've been in NY, NJ or PA. I hit one in PA so big I thought the Cobalt I was driving fell in it. Somehow it emerged unscathed!

That is a very good point... Those places are big-time when it comes to potholes.

 

[CharBaby]

This thread has responses from OK, CA, VA, and AZ. You haven't seen a pothole until you've been in NY, NJ or PA. I hit one in PA so big I thought the Cobalt I was driving fell in it. Somehow it emerged unscathed!

That's right! We have potholes the size of tourist attractions.

 

[vavavroom]

I've destroyed tires and wheels and have blown out control arm bushings driving during the rainy season on San Francisco streets. Potholes, some of them minor sinkholes, crop up spontaneously and if filled with water they are invisible on a wet road. I' always check the suspension visually and hands-on and also the wheels and tires for damage. Once I thought I got away unscathed because the car didn't pull to one side to find out later that the right front wheel rim was indented half an inch on the inside. Biggest pothole I "traversed" was 15 feet long, a foot wide and 5 inches deep and filled with water. I hydroplaned over ot. It was totally invisible on the wet road. The next day I went back to check it out and saw how big it was. If your car suffers damage, document the damage, the pothole, the repair cost, and send the bill to the city's public works.

 

[FT92]

This thread has responses from OK, CA, VA, and AZ. You haven't seen a pothole until you've been in NY, NJ or PA. I hit one in PA so big I thought the Cobalt I was driving fell in it. Somehow it emerged unscathed!

you want some pot holes ,drive around southwestern Pa; you could lose you whole truck in one

 

[OM605]

I'd say not to worry at all. Same thing happened to me a few times a nothing was out of whack even as scary as it is. However potholes and crappy roads seem to get lower ball joints in a matter of years if not months in my case. I think potholes car wear things out in the long run but as said before, cars are made to handle it, especially your Tacoma.

 

[Oildudeny]

I hit a one with my Corolla se low profile tires nearly sounded like I left the front end in the pothole, luckily I drove off with no damages and alignment straight as an arrow.. therefore these cars can take a pretty good shot. I'm sure the taco is just fine, they have a double A-arm suspension? Like a baja truck they should be pretty ******d

 

[Trav]

There are reports here of missing children and pets that may have fallen in some of the bigger ones.

 

[Kira]

I hit a pothole so big it had a gift shop.
I hit a pothole so big it had it's own ZIP code.
I hit a pothole so big the inhabitants had their own dialect.

 

[Skeet6]

This thread has responses from OK, CA, VA, and AZ. You haven't seen a pothole until you've been in NY, NJ or PA. I hit one in PA so big I thought the Cobalt I was driving fell in it. Somehow it emerged unscathed!

Hahaha, originally from NY, now in PA - you beat me to this, LOL
Mike B

 

[doublebase]

Alignment is fine? No pull or vibration?

O’d say you are fine. Don’t worry about it.

 

[wymi516]

What about internal damage to a tire?

 

[ka9mnx]

Cars are designed to take potholes. Control arms are mounted with rubber as is steering racks. There is a good chance that nothing was damaged.

I agree but if it bothers you have the front end alignment checked and have them check for a bend in the wheel.

 

[wdn]

A Toyota truck especially a TRD, can hit craters that would swallow some cars. It is the tires you need to inspect carefully, for a car with low profile tires, the rims.

 

[Blinker]

OP I say you’re being way too paranoid about this.