What to check after hitting a deep pothole or road dip
Impacts from deep dips or hidden road debris can cause hidden structural damage even if the car feels fine immediately afterward. Drivers often miss warning signs like bent components or fluid leaks because major issues do not always show up during a normal highway drive.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Visually inspecting shocks and suspension components for cracks or leaks
- 2Driving on the highway to check if steering or handling feels normal
- 3Visually inspecting the undercarriage for leaks or hanging parts
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Went through a 5 inch dip (around 25-30 mph), what to look for?”source ↗
“It didn't sound too terrible though.”source ↗
“Is there anything I need to look into more carefully?”source ↗
“I drove 10 miles on the highway. I didn't notice anything. Would I have noticed right away?”source ↗
“Ran over top of a dead deer yesterday. Felt like hitting a big speed bump at 50 mph . No leaks that I see or anything hanging, but this black bar has blood and hair on it. Should I be worried about anything with it? Or anything else? Lol”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 5Knocking noise under car after bottoming out on driveway
- 5Can I fix major car body damage myself?
- 12How to assess car damage and talk to a mechanic remotely
- 2How to inspect a used car yourself without looking clueless
- 6Found damage on a used car after buying it from a dealership
- 2Is it safe to drive a car with front-end damage in heavy rain?