Pothole season can cause expensive damage to cars across Chicago area | How to report them

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's potholes are deep, damaging and costly.

Auto body shops have been busy with repairs as nasty potholes open up all across the Chicago area.

The freeze-thaw cycle causes the pavement to open up and it is sending a lot of drivers in for major repairs.

One stretch of road on Lexington near Clinton in the South Loop looks less like a street and more like swiss cheese. Add cars on top, and you have a recipe for damage.

"It's awful," motorist Ed Austin said. "I was going very very slow, because otherwise, popped tire, cracked rim, more money."

Frank Guske, the owner of Wells Automotive Service in the Old Town neighborhood, has had an influx of cars damaged from potholes in the past 10 days, with many hitting craters on DuSable Lake Shore Drive.

"We've have a lot of bent rims, a lot of damaged tires, suspension damage, bent struts, broken steering knuckles," Guske said. "I've actually had cars with body damage because the pothole was so deep it scuffed the front bumper."

The pothole problem is also prevalent in suburbs like Aurora.

A couple of weeks ago, crews in Aurora were driving snow plow trucks and laying down salt on these roads. But with the warmer temperatures have left potholes for the crews to fill.

"Looks like about two weeks of nice weather, so hopefully we'll get a good handle on it," said Tim Forbes with Aurora Public Works.

The crews respond to calls from motorists, and they also just search for potholes themselves.

"We're already proactively looking for 'em, cause we know it's gonna happen," Forbes said.

Driver Jackie Greene said she hit a pothole in her truck on Thursday.

"To be honest, I'll be thinking about compensation, cause you have to get your tire fixed, you have to get your car fixed... so it's just a horrific experience," Greene said.

Guske said he has a Genesis in his shop with damage in the $12,000 range. His advice is for drivers to slow down and buy tires from a reputable place, and to document everything.

"Take pictures of the pothole," Guske said. "If you can safely take pictures of the pothole. Send those pictures to your aldermanic office with the bill or your insurance company. Document everything you can. You may or may not get the money back, but you have to try."

The city said it will work with drivers on damage claims. Drivers can report potholes on the city's website so crews can patch them.