Which parts take the hit, the signs that something is wrong, and how to get the damage assessed and written down in a way that supports a claim.
Most pothole hits leave nothing behind but a loud noise. Some do real damage, and it isn't always obvious on the spot. The damage concentrates where the impact lands first: AAA's director of automotive engineering, Greg Brannon, put it plainly in AAA's March 2022 pothole release — the tires, wheels and suspension get the brunt of it.
If you hit one hard, the job has two parts: find out whether the car is still safe to drive, and, if something is damaged, build a paper trail while the evidence still exists. Once the hole is patched, your word is all that's left of it.
When a tire drops into a hole and meets the far edge, the tire is squeezed between that sharp edge and the metal rim of the wheel. That pinch is what cuts or bruises tires and dents wheel lips. Whatever energy the tire and wheel don't absorb travels up into the suspension and steering.
Depth, speed, and the sharpness of the edge matter more than width. A shallow dip is a jolt; a deep, square-edged hole at speed is where parts bend. Low-profile tires, with their short sidewalls, have less cushion to give.
Tires. The classic pothole injury is a bulge or bubble on the sidewall. It means cords inside the tire have broken and air is pushing into the layers of the tire's structure. A bulged tire can look fine otherwise and still hold air, but it has lost its strength, and it should be replaced rather than driven on. Cuts and gashes in the sidewall are in the same category. The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association's repair guidelines allow repairs only in the tread area, for punctures no larger than 1/4 inch, and rule out repairs that extend into the shoulder. So sidewall damage means a new tire, not a patch.
Wheels. A hard hit can bend the lip of the rim, which often shows up as a slow leak because the tire no longer seals evenly against it, or as a vibration at speed. Aluminum alloy wheels can also crack. A bent wheel can sometimes be straightened by a wheel-repair shop. A cracked one is usually a replacement.
Alignment. Impact can knock the wheels out of their specified angles. The car may drive normally at first, but a misaligned car pulls to one side, sits with the steering wheel off-center, and wears its tires unevenly over the following months.
Suspension. Shocks and struts, control arms, ball joints, bushings, and springs all sit between the wheel and the body. A severe hit can bend a control arm, damage a strut, or crack a bushing. Symptoms range from a new clunk over bumps to a car that bounces or wanders.
Steering. Tie rods connect the steering rack to the wheels, and they are relatively thin. A bent tie rod is a common reason the steering wheel sits crooked after an impact. It's a safety item, so get it inspected before long drives.
Undercarriage. On lower cars, the body itself can bottom out. Oil pans, exhaust pipes and hangers, heat shields, and plastic splash shields and bumper covers are all exposed.
Some damage announces itself immediately; some takes a few days to show. Pay attention for the next week or so to:
The tire pressure (TPMS) light. A light that comes on shortly after an impact usually means a tire is losing air — from a sidewall injury, a bent rim, or a punctured tire. Check all four tires, not just the one you think you hit.
Pulling or drifting to one side on a straight, level road.
A steering wheel that's off-center when the car is going straight.
Vibration through the steering wheel or seat, especially one that appears or worsens at highway speed. That points toward a bent wheel or a damaged tire.
New noises — a clunk or knock over bumps, a rattle or scrape underneath, or a louder exhaust.
Drips or spots under the car where you park.
None of these proves pothole damage on its own. They are reasons to have the car looked at soon.
Safety first. Don't stop in a traffic lane to look. If the car feels normal, keep going and pull off somewhere safe — a side street, a parking lot. If a tire is going flat or the steering feels wrong, turn on your hazards and get out of traffic as soon as you safely can.
Walk around the car. Look at the outside sidewall of each tire for bulges and cuts, and at the lip of each wheel for dents or cracks. Look underneath for anything hanging or dripping. If you find a sidewall bulge, put on the spare or call for a tow rather than driving on it.
Photograph the damage now, while it's fresh and clearly connected to the event. Your phone records the date and time automatically.
Note where the hole is — nearest address, direction of travel, which lane. Don't walk into the street to photograph the pothole. Come back when it's safe, from the curb or sidewalk, ideally the same day, before it gets patched.
The mechanic's paperwork is the core of any claim, so it's worth asking for the right things.
Tell the shop it was a pothole, and when. Ask for a check of tires, wheels, alignment, suspension and steering — not just the part you noticed.
Get a written, dated estimate or invoice that lists each damaged part separately. If the technician will note that the damage is consistent with a recent impact, even better. Anyone reviewing a claim will ask whether the damage came from this hit or from ordinary wear.
Keep, or at least photograph, the damaged parts. A bulged tire or bent wheel is hard to argue with. Ask the shop to set them aside before they're discarded.
Ask for the alignment printout. Most alignment machines print "before" and "after" measurements. The "before" numbers show the car was out of spec when it came in.
What to photograph and collect:
According to the Insurance Information Institute, pothole damage is usually covered by collision coverage, the optional part of a policy that pays for damage from hitting an object. It is generally not a comprehensive claim, which covers things like theft, hail, flooding, and falling trees. If you carry only liability insurance, your own car's damage generally isn't covered.
Collision coverage pays the repair cost minus your deductible, which the Institute notes is commonly $500 or $1,000. Many pothole repairs cost less than that. Policies also don't cover wear and tear, and many exclude damage confined to the tires alone. How a pothole claim affects your premium varies by insurer, so ask before you file.
If your insurer does pay, it may pursue the city for its share, leaving you to claim your deductible. The claim guide explains how the two fit together. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice; your policy's wording is what counts.
The best national numbers come from AAA surveys. In March 2022, AAA reported that pothole damage cost U.S. drivers $26.5 billion in 2021. About 1 in 10 drivers had damage serious enough to need a repair, at an average of almost $600 per repair. Drivers with damage often needed about two pothole-related repairs.
A follow-up survey, published by AAA – The Auto Club Group in April 2023, estimated that 44 million drivers needed pothole repairs in 2022, up from 28 million the year before, at an average of $406 per repair.
These are national averages across very different kinds of damage — one tire is a very different bill from a wheel, strut, and alignment. The number that matters for your claim is the one on your own estimate.
If the pothole was on a city street, you may be able to claim against the City of Kansas City, Missouri. The deadline is the part to act on now: Missouri law (RSMo § 82.210) generally requires written notice to the city within 90 days of the incident. The pothole claim guide walks through the whole process, from the city's claim form to where to send the letter.
Before you write anything, look up the location on the map. A 311 report that was already open on the day you were damaged is evidence the city knew about the hole and had a chance to fix it. Note those ticket numbers. How long KCMO typically takes to close pothole reports gives you context for how long "open" usually lasts. Then report the pothole yourself so there's a dated city record of the hole that damaged your car.
Check who owns the road, too. Interstates and state routes inside the city limits are MoDOT's, not the city's, and that changes who you'd claim against — here's how to tell who maintains a given road. (For why the same streets keep failing, see why Kansas City has so many potholes.)
When your estimate and photos are ready, the free claim-letter generator builds the written notice, with the statute cited and your 311 ticket numbers included.
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