Can I drive with a broken tie rod to get it repaired?
A broken tie rod means you have completely lost steering control of that wheel, making it unsafe to drive even short distances. Attempting to move the vehicle risks total wheel detachment and should be avoided until the part is replaced.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1getting towedDid this help you?
- 2not driving itDid this help you?
- 3limiting driving to emergencies onlyDid this help you?
- 4taking corners lightly if drivingDid this help you?
- 5checking the joint for playDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Noticed a weird sound as I was parking at work. Looked under and saw this metal part hanging next to the front right tir3.”source ↗
“I have a new tie rod coming in. [...] The new tie rod is coming on Saturday and we are swapping it then getting an alignment. My gym is about 20 miles away and I would like to go this week if it is safe.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 3Cracked engine head while torquing oil pressure sensor
- 2Why does a newly replaced driveshaft keep failing?
- 2How long can I drive on a bad wheel bearing?