That jolt through the steering wheel is never pleasant, and the first few minutes after you hit a pothole matter. This guide is about what to do right now, not about making a compensation claim (we cover that separately). If you drive around Romford, Dartford or Hemel Hempstead, keep this page bookmarked for the next time a pothole catches you out.
Key takeaways
- Pull over somewhere safe, away from moving traffic, before you check anything.
- Check the tyre, the wheel, the steering and the tracking.
- Take photos of the pothole and the damage before you drive on.
- A flat tyre, a crack right through the wheel or loose steering means stop and call for recovery.
First, check it is safe to stop
If you can, pull over somewhere safe, away from moving traffic, before you check anything. Put your hazard lights on. Do not get out of the car on a busy road or a motorway hard shoulder.
What to check on your car
Once you are somewhere safe:
- Look at the tyre. A sudden bulge, a flat spot, or a hissing sound can mean the tyre is damaged and losing air. Do not keep driving on a tyre that looks or sounds wrong.
- Look at the wheel. Shine a torch or your phone light around the rim. A crack usually shows as a thin line, often near the valve or where the spokes meet the rim. A kerb-style scuff looks different: a scrape along the outer edge rather than a line through the metal.
- Listen and feel while driving slowly. A buckled wheel often causes a vibration through the steering wheel that gets worse the faster you go, or a thumping noise that follows the speed of the wheel, not the engine.
- Check your tracking. If the car pulls to one side after the impact, the pothole may have knocked your wheel alignment out, which is a separate job to a wheel repair.
Take photos before you drive on
If it is safe to do so, take a few photos of the pothole itself and the damage to your wheel or tyre before you leave. You will want these later if you decide to report the pothole or claim for the damage, which we cover in a separate guide on claiming compensation in Essex, Kent and Hertfordshire.
Signs you should not keep driving
Most pothole damage is cosmetic or minor and the car is fine to drive carefully to a workshop. A smaller number of cases are not safe to drive on at all. Pull over and call for recovery if you notice any of the following:
- The tyre has gone flat, or is losing air quickly.
- You can see a visible crack right through the wheel, not just a scuff on the surface.
- The steering feels loose, or pulls hard to one side.
- A loud grinding or knocking noise that was not there before.
What kind of damage needs a specialist
| Symptom | Likely cause | What usually helps |
|---|---|---|
| Thin crack line in the metal | Crack from a sharp impact | A cracked wheel repair, checked for safety first |
| Vibration that gets worse with speed | Buckled or bent rim | A buckled wheel repair to straighten the rim |
| Scrape or scuff on the outer edge | Kerb or pothole rim damage | Kerb damage repair |
| Car pulls to one side | Wheel alignment knocked out | A wheel alignment check, not a wheel repair, is the first step |
Book a free check
If you are not sure whether your wheel needs attention, it is worth getting it looked at rather than guessing. Use our booking calculator to get a free, instant quote at whichever workshop is closest to you: Romford, Dartford or Hemel Hempstead.
- 800+ five-star reviews
- Rated 4.8★ on Google
- Rated 4.7★ on Google
- Rated 4.9★ on Google
- 3-year warranty on powder coating and diamond cut
- 3 workshops: Romford, Dartford, Hemel
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep driving after hitting a pothole?
Usually yes, carefully, if the tyre is holding air, the steering feels normal, and there is no visible crack through the wheel. If any of those are wrong, stop and call for recovery instead.
How do I know if it is the wheel or the tyre that is damaged?
A damaged tyre usually shows as a bulge, a flat spot, or air loss. A damaged wheel usually shows as a crack, a scuff, or a vibration through the steering wheel. Both can happen from the same pothole, so it is worth checking both.
Should I report the pothole even if I am not claiming for the damage?
Yes. Reporting it helps the council prioritize the repair and can stop someone else from being caught out by the same pothole.
Is it worth getting the wheel checked even if the damage looks small?
Yes. A small crack can get worse over time with the weight and heat of normal driving. Getting it checked early is safer than waiting until it fails.
Every job at Alloy Fix comes with a warranty: 1 year on crack repairs, and we are the only company to offer a 3 year warranty on all powder coating and diamond cut wheels.
