After hitting a pothole, a customer’s car stopped accelerating and ran roughly. Our mechanics at 1Stop Motor Shop in Mallusk diagnosed a damaged throttle body caused by the impact.
A customer was driving to work through Newtownabbey when she hit a pothole. Immediately afterwards, her car began to lose power, stopped accelerating properly, and the engine started running roughly.
Many people assume potholes only damage wheels or suspension, but this incident proved otherwise. When the car arrived at 1Stop Motor Shop in Mallusk, it sounded close to stalling, with little to no power left.
Our senior mechanic, Stephen, began investigating. With years of experience diagnosing tricky faults, he quickly narrowed it down to an issue with the throttle body.
After removing the unit, we discovered that a small cog wheel and spring inside the throttle body had snapped, likely from the shock of the pothole impact. This failure meant the car’s throttle system couldn’t respond correctly, causing the loss of acceleration.
A new throttle body was fitted, and once installed and calibrated, the engine ran perfectly again.
Hitting a pothole can do more than misalign wheels, it can jolt delicate components in your engine bay or undercarriage. Common issues we see include:
Broken sensors or connectors
Damaged throttle or air intake components
Suspension and wheel alignment problems
Leaking shock absorbers or cracked alloys
That’s why it’s always best to have your car checked after a heavy impact, even if it seems minor at the time.
Keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressure.
Avoid puddles where potholes may hide.
Drive slowly on uneven roads.
Have your suspension and tracking checked regularly.
Our free vehicle health checks can identify hidden damage before it turns into costly repairs.
If your car feels rough, has lost power, or doesn’t accelerate properly after hitting a pothole, get it inspected as soon as possible. Our expert mechanics at 1Stop Motor Shop Mallusk will find the fault quickly and get you safely back on the road.
