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When one of your car components dies off, you can still drive the car for some minutes, hours, or even days, depending on what failed.
Apparently, if it was your engine that dies off, your car would stop working immediately; in contrast, if it was your wheel speed sensor, fuel injector, or a filter that failed, you could drive the car for some time.
But can you drive with a bad drive shaft? No, you cannot! The driveshaft is a key component that contributes to the acceleration of your car. It is the rod-like component that transfers torque from the engine to the wheels.
Thus, it is essential that your driveshaft is in good shape all the time; a bad drive shaft can cause your car not to move at all.
What Does a Bad Drive Shaft Do?
A bad drive shaft would cause your car not to move because torque won’t pass from the engine to the wheels.
While different cars are structured differently, the function of the drive shaft is the same on every vehicle – mostly rear-wheel drive vehicles.
When the drive shaft is bad, you’d definitely notice a number of signs, which include shuddering, intense vibration, and the inability of your steering to turn the wheels.
Can You Drive With a Bad Drive Shaft?
It is almost impossible to drive with a bad driveshaft. Initially, when the drive shaft is faulty, you’d find it a bit difficult to rotate your wheels, and when the shaft finally breaks down, your car would definitely stop moving.
More so, it is advisable to fix your vehicle’s driveshaft when it starts exhibiting symptoms of failure.
The symptoms may differ; you may hear unusual squealing noise or the vehicle may vibrate whenever you try to accelerate or turn the wheels. However, there are other possible signs of a failing driveshaft.
Replacing a drive shaft can cost you around $500 – $1,000, depending on the intensity of the damage and the parts to be replaced or repaired.
Driving with a bad drive shaft is not advisable; it could lead to a severe collision, which in turn, would cause more damages and incur more repair costs.
But then, the signs of a failing driveshaft are almost the same as that of a failing axle. In fact, any component that makes up the drivetrain assembly would exhibit the same symptoms when faulty.
That said, when you start noticing different unusual sounds or vibrations, it is advisable to take your car to a mechanic workshop and have it checked up.
When an issue is detected early, the cost of repair is usually very low and affordable.
What More?
So, can you drive with a bad drive shaft? No, you cannot drive with a bad driveshaft. This is because you’d find it difficult to turn the wheels or the car won’t move at all.
A bad driveshaft can subsequently lead to other fatal damages if not fixed as soon as supposed.
Do not try out DIY practices to fix a faulty drivetrain component; the result could be dangerous. Instead, always have a professional mechanic or auto technician troubleshoot your vehicle to detect developing faults and fix them on time.