Is a car totaled if the engine moved?
An engine shifting out of alignment usually stems from broken engine mounts, throwing off the precise alignment required for surrounding components to function. While it creates severe structural concerns that make the car feel entirely dead to drive, it is mechanically fixable depending on the extent of the underlying damage.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1checking the oil level
- 2checking whether the plastic underbody cover is bent
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Somehow I was the only one who pointed out uhmm the engines completely moved. Used to have a crack in the engine mounts so I’m guessing it’s that. Is it fixable?”source ↗
“if the engine moved the car is dead? i dont think you understand how much would rely on everything there being lined up.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 9Why did my low mileage engine fail?
- 2Cracked engine head while torquing oil pressure sensor
- 5Why does a new engine part break right after expensive dealership repairs?
- 2Why does a newly replaced driveshaft keep failing?
- 5Did my timing belt slip or did I mess up the install?
- 34Why does my car make a loud rattle when starting the engine?