A couple of things can break one of the axles in your vehicle’s suspension. First, an automobile accident can damage the axle, and failure to maintain the suspension can break the axle. Unfortunately, a broken axle cannot be repaired. Instead, the axle must be replaced with a new one.
Zero Motion
If you have a broken axle, your vehicle will not go anywhere when you press down on the accelerator. Unfortunately, the tires cannot rotate if the axle is damaged. You may not realize there’s a problem until you press down on the accelerator. The vehicle’s engine will sound just fine.
Power Strain
When you press down on the accelerator, power is transferred to the drivetrain via the transmission. The wheels will strain to turn if you have a bent or broken axle. Consequently, as we mentioned above, you will not have enough power to get the wheels turning and your vehicle in motion.
Strange Noises
As the broken axle strains to turn the wheels, you may hear strange noises underneath your vehicle. For example, you may hear bumping, clunking, or sputtering noises. Also, if the axle is cracked and the wheels are turning, you may hear these noises when you turn around corners or put your vehicle in reverse.
Wobbling/Vibration
As we just mentioned, you may still be able to drive your automobile if the axle is cracked. This being said, the vehicle will wobble and vibrate while you are in motion. The wobbling or vibration may get worse as you pick up speed. This makes driving dangerous as the axle could break completely.
Brake Problems
If your axle is bent, the brake pads will become misaligned with the rotors. This can make slowing down and stopping your automobile difficult because the pads need to come in contact with the rotors to generate friction and kinetic energy. Have your car towed to our shop if it has brake problems.
Leaking Differential Oil
Finally, if you drive an all-wheel or four-wheel drive, you may leak differential oil if the brake seals crack because of the broken axle. Differential oil is brown and will leak underneath your vehicle rather than the engine. Call us today to schedule an appointment if you suspect your axle is damaged. Again, we recommend you play it safe and have your vehicle towed to our shop rather than driving it.