Does a Broken Half Shaft Affect the Car?
2 Answers
If the half shaft is damaged, the car may experience minor issues like abnormal noises and bumps when running, or severe problems such as inability to move, causing the car to deviate from its path or shake violently. Below are the relevant details: 1. Damage to the half shaft: Initially, it is usually caused by the rupture of the rubber dust cover on the inner or outer CV joint, allowing road dust and debris particles to enter the CV joint lubrication surface. At the same time, the lubricating oil inside the CV joint is completely thrown out, leading to dry friction damage on the inner and outer CV joint ball surfaces. Generally, if you hear a rattling sound from the left front wheel when turning the steering wheel fully to the left, it indicates damage to the left outer CV joint. Conversely, it indicates damage to the right outer CV joint. 2. Side-to-side swaying: When the car is driving straight at a speed of 70-80 km/h, if you notice a side-to-side swaying or shaking sensation in the front part of the car, especially accompanied by a metallic impact sound during sudden acceleration, but the steering wheel feels normal, and there are no abnormalities when releasing the throttle or coasting, this indicates damage to the inner CV joint of the half shaft. In this case, the entire half shaft assembly needs to be replaced.
I've been working in auto repair shops for over 20 years and have seen many cases of bad axle shafts. A faulty axle shaft can cause serious issues – your car might not move at all, especially during acceleration when you'll hear clicking noises and feel strong vibrations from the rear or front wheels. If left unfixed, this problem can eventually damage the differential or even the transmission, leading to much costlier repairs. Once during a vehicle inspection, I found a cracked axle shaft – the owner had thought it was just a minor issue, but it nearly wrecked the entire drivetrain. My advice is to stop driving immediately if you hear unusual noises or feel vibrations, and get it replaced at a proper repair shop. While you're at it, have them check the suspension and wheel hub components too, since a failed axle poses serious safety risks. To prolong axle life, avoid aggressive cornering and sudden acceleration during normal driving.
