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Typically, before any component in your car would fail completely, it must have shown various signs and symptoms. The driveshaft is one of the core components that makes a car move.
However, just like every other component in a car, the driveshaft is liable to fail or damage someday, and the result of this can be a total breakdown of your vehicle.
But, what happens if my drive shaft breaks while driving? Basically, your car would stop working, which means you can’t drive further.
However, the driveshaft doesn’t get damaged just like that; it must have given you several signs, which you probably ignored. Here are the common signs of a failing driveshaft.
Common Signs Of A Failing Drive Shaft
Irrespective of your vehicle model and brand, when you see any of these signs, it could be that your driveshaft is about to fail.
1. Shuddering
One of the common signs of a failing driveshaft is shuddering; when you notice that your car shudders when you try to accelerate or decelerate, that could be a sign of a failing shaft.
However, shuddering doesn’t only depict a failing driveshaft; thus, when you start noticing it, the best thing to do is to have a mechanic inspect your car to detect the actual cause.
2. Serious Vibration
A bad driveshaft would cause your vehicle to vibrate intensively when you drive at certain speeds or match any of the pedals.
Such intense vibrations can be traced to worn-out u-joints or bushing in the driveshaft assembly, and if left to continue for a longer time, it could lead to the failure of other drivetrain components.
3. Loud Clunking Noise
Loose or worn-out u-joints can cause clunk noise as you drive; hence, when you hear a loud clunking noise, that could be a sign that your driveshaft is about to fail.
4. Hard Turning Of The Wheels
Apparently, a bad driveshaft will make it difficult (if not impossible) for you to turn your vehicle wheels. This is because the driveshaft is a crucial component of the drivetrain that makes the wheels turn.
These four signs are the commonest ones to experience when your driveshaft is about to go bad.
If you ignore these signs and refuse to inspect your vehicle to detect the actual cause, chances are that your driveshaft may fall off while you’re driving.
When the driveshaft falls out while driving, it could cause an accident or other serious damages that would burn a hole in your pocket.
Now, let’s get to the main topic of today, what happens if my drive shaft breaks while driving?
What Happens If My Drive Shaft Breaks While Driving?
Apparently, what would happen is this, your car will gradually stop moving and you may not be able to turn the wheels.
Driveshaft failure while driving is not a good situation as it could lead to many dangerous scenarios.
Furthermore, an inexperienced driver may find it extremely difficult to control a car that got had a broken driveshaft; hence, a collision/accident is likely to occur.
To this end, it is advisable to always pay attention to every unusual symptom you notice in your car.
Conclusion
Procrastinating crucial repairs such as driveshaft repair will always end up leaving you with costlier damages. Particularly, for the question. “what happens if my drive shaft breaks while driving?”
The answer is, your car would start making a loud noise and it’d keep slowing down until it comes to a stop.
The dangers of driving with a damaged or failing driveshaft cannot be overemphasized; they can be so severe and costlier than you expected.
Keeping up with routine maintenance checks will help to detect potentials issues so they can be fixed earlier. Hopefully, this article answers your question about driveshaft failure.
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