Can a Speed Bump Damage Your Car?

March 11, 2022

Maybe this sounds familiar: you're driving down the road when ‐ out of nowhere ‐ a speed bump pops up in front of you. You slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the speed bump too fast, but it's too late. You hit the bump with a sickening KERCHUNK. Now you're wondering if any damage was left behind.

Whether you hit a speed bump because it wasn't well marked or you simply weren't focusing on the road, damage caused by speed bumps shouldn't be ignored. Keep reading to learn how a speed bump can damage your car and what signs to look for if you hit one at high speed.

What Can a Speed Bump Do to Your Car?

Speed bumps are common in residential zones and areas with high pedestrian traffic. This is because speed bumps are designed to slow traffic flow and make drivers more aware of their surroundings. Ironically, some speed bumps-or "speed humps" if it's a more gradual bump-are difficult to spot, making it all too easy to hit a bump too quickly.

So, once you've hit a speed bump, what are the chances that it damaged your car? It depends mainly on two things: how you were driving and the type of car you drive.

When most people notice an oncoming speed bump too late, they reactively hit the brakes. Slamming on the brakes locks up your suspension, so when your front tires hit the ground on the other side of the bump, your shocks and struts won't be able to soften the blow. At the same time, driving over a speed bump at too high a speed has a similar effect; your shocks are unable to absorb the force of impact so rapidly.

The other factor that may lead to damage is the height of your car. Speed bumps are nightmares for vehicles with low ground clearance. The lower your car, the easier it is to scrape the undercarriage along the top of a bump, or worse, completely bottom out if you go over a bump too quickly.

Potential Damage Caused by a Speed Bump

Do speed bumps ruin your car? The bottom line is that the occasional high-speed speed bump encounter won't likely cause too much damage unless your car bottoms out. On the other hand, frequently hitting speed bumps can end up causing a lot more damage than you may realize. It's always best to inspect your car after hitting a speed bump too quickly, particularly in the following areas.

Suspension

Your suspension system is designed to absorb the bumps and vibrations from imperfections in the road. Yet, when you run over a speed bump at high speed, your shock absorbers can't mitigate the force of impact fast enough. Hit a bump hard enough or frequently enough, and you may end up bending your shocks or leaking hydraulic fluid, among other significant suspension problems.

Steering

Since your shocks protect much of your vehicle from harmful road vibrations and impacts, once they're damaged, your steering system is soon to follow. Prolonged exposure to vibrations can push your wheels out of alignment, damage steering rack mounts, and even cause your power steering fluid to leak over time.

Exhaust

Your exhaust system, which is designed to quiet your engine and reduce emissions, sits on the underside of your vehicle. Because this component is so close to the road, it's a frequent victim of speed bump impacts. Going over a speed bump too quickly may cause your vehicle to bottom out and smack the exhaust on the pavement. This may weaken the mounts on the exhaust system or cause it to fall off entirely.

Tires

When your front tires hit the pavement after flying over a speed bump, the force of impact may result in the tire sidewalls coming into contact with the ground. Not only does this accelerate wear on your tires, but it may also cause structural damage to your wheels or even a blowout.

What Should You Do if Your Car Has Speed Bump Damage?

Don't wait to take care of damage caused by a speed bump! Order quality replacement parts made for your vehicle from Nissan Parts & Accessories and stop by your local service center for installation.