Potholes

saker75

Hi all

I think my car has been damaged after driving through two deep potholes yesterday. There is a clunking sound and the steering has slightly more vibration than normal.

The potholes are at the side of a country lane. I was forced into the lane to avoid a deep flood and didn't see them. I noticed today that they have put a cordon around them. I reported the potholes this morning.

If there is damage I feel the local authority should contribute to the repairs. I don't know how I'd prove anything though. I don't know what the procedure would be. I couldn't take photographs because the lane is a dangerous enough place at the best of times.

Any thoughts?

Netwizard

Proving it will be difficult for sure. The council will probably say if you were forced over to the edge of the road because of the flood, you should probably have found an alternative route.

Maybe its knocked a wheel weight off and / or tracking is out. Pay a visit to your local friendly tyre fitter tomorrow and get the tracking checked

Ultrasonic

Have a read here:

https://www.potholes.co.uk

Ultrasonic

Netwizard wrote: »

Maybe its knocked a wheel weight off and / or tracking is out.

I'm not sure why either of those would cause a clunking sound?

Chrisblue1962

If the potholes are not within the confines of the carriageway then your local authority will not be liable as the land may not be adopted highway.

Netwizard

Ultrasonic wrote: »

I'm not sure why either of those would cause a clunking sound?

I was referring to:

saker75 wrote: »

steering has slightly more vibration than normal.

If its not tracking, wheel weights, or tyre damage, what else could it be? CV joint maybe?

Ultrasonic

I'd be inclined to suggest that the OP gets a mechanic to investigate the clunking sound first, in case getting this fixed caused the wheel alignment to need adjusting again? This is very much an amateur view though.

WestonDave

You may have fractured a front suspension spring - especially if you happen to drive a C3 which are prone to them going. Happened to me - on a dark road hit a gap round a manhole cover which had gouged out - car seemed ok immediately afterwards but the next day was clunking from that front side. Stopped and had a look at it but couldn't see anything amiss, so drove it to my normal garage who spotted the broken spring.

saker75

Thanks for all your feedback.
@Netwizard - this was the alternative route! The flooding was mainly on the other side of the road and a car was waiting for me to pass. In avoiding the water I ended up in the potholes.
I'll take it to my garage and see what he says but you have given me some useful pointers, thank you all.