Can the car still be driven if the axle shaft oil seal is leaking?
2 Answers
It is not safe to drive if the axle shaft oil seal is leaking, as it affects driving safety. The main causes of axle shaft oil seal leakage are as follows: 1. Overfilling of the main reducer in the rear axle housing: If the oil level exceeds the normal height, it will cause the oil to leak out. 2. Blocked vent hole in the axle housing: A sudden increase in temperature while driving leads to increased pressure, forcing the oil out and causing leakage. 3. Aging or deterioration of the oil seal: The seal loses its effectiveness, requiring replacement in such cases. Relevant information is as follows: 1. Types of axle shaft oil seal leakage: The oil seal primarily prevents the leakage or seepage of lubricating oil or grease. 2. Axle shaft oil seal leakage: The axle shaft oil seal is located at the lower part of the chassis and is used to seal the separation between the drive axle and the wheel-side reducer. The axle shaft transmits the output torque from the differential side gear to the drive wheel or wheel-side reducer.
I think it depends on the situation. If the axle seal is slightly leaking oil, you can still drive for a few days temporarily, but you need to schedule an inspection and repair as soon as possible. Last time my car had the same issue, starting with some oil stains on the inner side of the wheel hub, and later oil was directly splashed onto the brake disc, causing smoke when braking—it was really scary. The most dangerous part is that oil leaking onto the brake pads can affect braking performance, and during turns, it might even cause the axle to disengage, leading to loss of control. If you encounter severe oil splashing or see oil dripping onto the ground, you must stop immediately and call for a tow truck. Don’t try to save on repair costs—if the differential gets damaged due to oil shortage, the repair cost would be enough to replace seven or eight seals.
