Can I Drive My Car With a Broken Exhaust Pipe?

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Can I drive my car with a broken exhaust pipe? Well, yes, you can, but it’s not advisable because it is risky and unhealthy (more about this below).

Some actions are technically right to do, but you could get fined for doing them because it bridges certain rules or regulations in your city. This especially applies to drivers; every city has its road usage rules and regulations, which must be obeyed by drivers within the jurisdiction.

The exhaust system in automobiles is designed to serve a purpose – just like every other component that makes up a vehicle, or automobile. If your car’s exhaust pipe is broken, you really should replace it with a new one because it poses environmental risks.

What’s The Major Function Of Cars’ Exhaust Systems?

Can I Drive My Car With a Broken Exhaust Pipe

Literally, the major purpose of the exhaust system is to remove waste emissions generated in the engine during combustion. The exhaust system in every car comprises the following components: catalytic converter, muffler, and tailpipe.

However, some drivers may modify their exhaust to include a “Resomer.” The resomer works in hand with the muffler to cancel sound waves; thus, your car would be almost noiseless as you drive. But a “Resomer” is not a compulsory exhaust component, so you can do without it.

If you’ve got a bad, or broken exhaust pipe (tailpipe), it is advisable that you replace it as soon as you can.

Related Post: Symptoms Of A Clogged Exhaust Manifold

Can I Drive My Car With a Broken Exhaust Pipe?

Technically, yes, you can drive with a broken exhaust pipe. But considering a couple of factors and laws, it is a wrong thing to do, and you may attract a heavy fine for such driving. Inquisitively, you may care to know the factors that stand against driving with a bad exhaust pipe, right?

A broken exhaust would affect your car performance, and would also pollute the environment – releasing harmful carbon emissions into the air as you drive.

Why You Shouldn’t Drive With a Broken Exhaust Pipe?

These are the factors that stand against driving with a bad or broken exhaust pipe, regardless of your state, city, or region.

1. Your Engine Will Be Affected

If you got a bad exhaust and you keep driving with it, over time, your engine would be affected – the performance would drop, and it may start overheating. This is how a bad exhaust system can contribute to engine failure or damage.

The exhaust pipe is meant to remove bad/harmful emissions from the engine. These emissions comprise harmful carbon deposits, which, normally, should be treated in the catalytic converter, before being released into the air as steamy fumes/gases.

But, when the exhaust pipe is broken, the cat converter and muffler may fall out of place. This will affect how the harmful emissions are removed; the carbon gases may get back into the engine and start forming buildups that affect your engine’s performance.

Related Post: Do I Need A Resonator On My Exhaust? (YES! Here’s Why)

2. Air Pollution

The thick, dirty carbon monoxide emissions released through a broken exhaust pipe pose a serious health hazard.

It is the work of the catalytic converter to reduce the harmfulness of the carbon gases from your engine, but when the exhaust pipe is faulty, the cat converter won’t function as supposed.

3. You’d Attract a Heavy Fine

One of the disadvantages of driving with a faulty exhaust pipe is that you would get fined if caught up by the cops. Depending on the location you are driving, the fine could be a heavy one, which would burn a hole in your pocket.

How Much Does It Cost To Fix a Broken Exhaust Pipe?

The amount of fixing your broken exhaust pipe depends on the intensity of the damage. On average, you’d spend $80 – $100 to have your exhaust up patched up.

But if you’re making a complete replacement, that would set you $500 – $700 depending on the type of exhaust you use.

What More?

Summarily, while you can drive with a broken exhaust pipe, it is not advisable that you do so. If the exhaust is not badly affected, it’d cost you less to get it fixed, but if you ignore and keep driving with the broken exhaust, you may end up paying costlier fines.

Read Also: Symptoms of a Bad Catalytic Converter

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