title = “Potholes and dead batteries are your spring car enemies.” type = “.report.” source_topic = “car care”

Pothole damage and a battery that didn’t survive winter.

Spring is when you discover what winter did to your car. The two biggest headaches: suspension damage from potholes and a battery that gave up after months of cold starts.

Potholes wreck tires, bend wheels, knock out alignments, and sometimes blow struts. You can’t avoid every hole, but slow down when you see one coming. If your car pulls to one side or you feel vibration after a bad hit, get the alignment checked before you chew through new tires.

Winter is brutal on batteries. If yours is more than three years old and struggled to start in January, replace it now rather than waiting for a warm morning when it suddenly clicks dead. Also check tire pressure — it drops in cold weather and needs readjusting in spring. And swap in fresh