Very likely, yes. Hitting a pothole hard or bumping a curb is one of the most common ways wheels get knocked out of alignment. Even if your car seems to drive fine afterward, the impact can shift suspension parts just enough to cause uneven tire wear and pulling. Having your alignment checked soon after is a smart, low-cost step.
Ann Arbor drivers know this problem well. The freeze-and-thaw cycle every winter tears up local streets and creates deep potholes on everything from residential roads near Burns Park to major routes like Washtenaw Avenue and Plymouth Road. Parking curbs downtown, in campus lots, and at shopping centers around Briarwood are just as unforgiving. All it takes is one solid hit at speed to move things underneath your car by a small but meaningful amount.
The reason a single impact matters so much is that your alignment is set to very precise measurements at the factory. We are talking about fractions of a degree. That tiny margin is what keeps your tires rolling straight, your steering centered, and your ride smooth. When a wheel slams into a pothole edge or a hard curb, the shock travels up through the suspension. Bushings can compress, tie rods can shift, and control arms can bend just enough to throw those precise angles off.
The tricky part is that the damage is often invisible from the driver's seat at first. Your car might still track reasonably straight, and you might not feel anything dramatic in the steering. But over the next few hundred miles, small clues start to appear. You may notice the steering wheel sitting slightly off-center, a gentle pull to one side, or new tire wear along one edge. By the time those signs are obvious, some tire life is already gone.
There is also the safety angle to consider. A serious impact can damage more than just alignment settings. Wheels can develop hairline cracks or bends that affect balance and handling. Steering components can be stressed in ways that only show up under load. Getting the car inspected after a hard hit lets a technician catch any of those problems before they turn into bigger repairs.
Since Michigan roads are tough on suspensions all year, having a trusted local shop check things out after a hard hit is a wise habit. Hoover Street Auto Repair has been helping Ann Arbor drivers recover from pothole and curb impacts since 1980 with careful inspections and precise computerized alignments. Learn more on our wheel alignment page.