If you live anywhere near Dayton, you know potholes are as reliable as spring rain and summer humidity. Freeze-thaw cycles, salt treatments, and Ohio’s unpredictable winter weather do a number on the roads. By late February, it’s not unusual to swerve around mini-craters on your daily commute. And if you drive a Subaru—a brand built for rough conditions—it’s easy to assume your suspension can shrug off this abuse without consequence.

But even a Subaru’s rugged suspension needs regular attention when potholes appear in force. Your vehicle’s comfort, tire life, alignment, and long-term durability depend on a system of parts that quietly absorb every bump. Ignore them for too long, and you risk turning that Subaru smoothness into rattles, vibrations, and costly repairs.

The Anatomy of Your Subaru’s Suspension
Subaru vehicles, from the Outback to the Crosstrek, share a similar suspension layout:

• Struts and shocks absorb impact energy
• Springs support the vehicle’s weight and maintain ride height
• Control arms and bushings keep the wheels aligned and manage side-to-side motion
• Ball joints and tie rods link the steering system to the wheels
• Wheel bearings allow the wheels to spin freely while supporting vehicle weight

Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive pairs with this suspension to keep traction predictable, even when one wheel hits a rough patch. But if these parts wear unevenly or bend, the system can’t maintain perfect stability.

What Happens When You Hit a Pothole
Every pothole is a shock test. When your Subaru’s tire drops into a hole and bounces out, the force travels through the wheel, into the suspension arm, up the strut, and finally to the vehicle body. If the impact is mild, your suspension flexes and rebounds as designed. But repeated hits—or one deep crater—can push components past their tolerance.

Possible outcomes include:

• Bent control arms or struts, which change your wheel’s angle
• Damaged bushings, causing clunking noises on rough roads
• Wheel alignment shifts, leading to uneven tire wear
• Loose ball joints or tie rods, which make steering feel vague
• Wheel bearing damage, resulting in humming or vibration

Some damage is immediate; other issues surface weeks or months later as parts wear out prematurely.

Pothole Damage Signs: What to Watch For
Your Subaru won’t always scream for help after a pothole hit. But subtle clues appear:

• Pulling to one side while driving straight
• Steering wheel off-center when driving straight
• Unusual vibrations through the seat or steering wheel
• Rattles or knocking sounds when going over bumps
• Uneven tire wear, especially on one edge
• Fluid leaks from a blown shock or strut

These symptoms typically begin small and gradually worsen over time. Catching them early can save you hundreds in repairs and keep your Subaru’s AWD working properly.

Dayton’s Roads: Why Potholes Get So Bad
Ohio’s climate is tailor-made for pothole formation. In winter, moisture seeps into cracks in the asphalt. When temperatures drop below freezing, water expands, breaking the road surface apart. Salt and snow plows widen these gaps, and by spring thaw, the road is dotted with holes.

Dayton’s older road network and heavy urban traffic add to the problem. Residential streets, downtown corridors, and older bridges often degrade fastest. Subaru’s higher ground clearance helps, but it doesn’t make your wheels immune to the laws of physics.

How Potholes Threaten AWD and Safety
Most drivers think potholes only flatten tires or dent rims, but Subaru owners have more to consider:

• Alignment changes can confuse the AWD system. If wheels don’t point true, torque split may favor one side incorrectly.
• Suspension angle shifts alter how weight is distributed during cornering and braking.
• Uneven tire wear stresses differentials, which expect matched rotation speeds.

Combined, these issues can compromise traction, handling, and stopping distance—defeating the purpose of a system designed to keep you safe in bad conditions.

Inspections: Your First Line of Defense
One of the best moves you can make during pothole season is a routine suspension inspection. Subaru service centers in Dayton know the local road conditions well and can quickly spot early signs of damage.

During an inspection, a technician will:

• Check struts and shocks for leaks or dents
• Inspect control arms for bends or bushing wear
• Test ball joints and tie rods for play
• Verify wheel alignment angles
• Spin wheels by hand to detect bearing roughness

An annual alignment check is smart even if you don’t notice obvious symptoms. Fixing small misalignments early extends tire life and preserves precise AWD operation.

Smart Driving Tactics for Pothole Season
Even the most robust Subaru benefits from a little extra caution:

• Keep tires properly inflated. An underinflated tire is more likely to get pinched by a pothole, damaging the rim or sidewall.
• Slow down in known trouble spots. Braking before a pothole reduces impact force.
• Avoid puddles if possible. They often hide deep holes.
• Hold the steering wheel firmly. Sudden impacts can yank the wheel out of your hands.
• Report potholes. Dayton’s public works department relies on drivers to flag new hazards for repair.

Consider Upgrades if You Drive Rough Roads Often
Some Subaru owners who regularly tackle pothole-prone routes opt for slight upgrades:

• Tires with taller sidewalls to absorb impacts better
• Heavy-duty struts and springs for added resilience
• Wheel and tire packages with stronger alloys are less prone to bending

Ask your local Subaru service advisor whether these options make sense for your driving habits.

The Bottom Line: It’s Not Just Annoying—It’s Preventable
Potholes aren’t going away in Dayton. But they don’t have to shorten your Subaru’s lifespan. Routine checks, smart driving, and timely alignment corrections keep your suspension in line, your tires wearing evenly, and your all-wheel drive working exactly as designed.

Your Subaru can handle a lot—bad weather, muddy campsites, backroads. But a few overlooked potholes can do more damage than an entire season of snow. Stay ahead of the problem, and you’ll keep your ride smooth and your adventures uninterrupted, no matter how rough the city streets get.