What does a driveshaft do?

A driveshaft is essentially the component that “drives” a car by transferring power from a car’s engine to its wheels. It has a tubular design and is usually made from aluminium, steel or carbon fibre to ensure it's both strong and lightweight.

Front-wheel drive vehicles don’t usually have driveshafts. However, because in four wheel and rear wheel drive vehicles the gearbox and differential are separate units, the driveshaft is needed to transmit the turning motion of the gearbox to the differential. As the output shaft of the gearbox rotates it spins the driveshaft, which then turns the differential ring gear to rotate the wheels.

Driveshafts are a very precisely balanced and weighted component because they rotate at very high speeds in order to turn the wheels. When the driveshaft has an issue, it can instantly affect the drivability of the vehicle.

Kia

Kia Motors Corporation (widely known as Kia Motors) is South Korea’s second-largest automobile manufacturer, behind their parent company, the Hyundai Motor Company.

They were initially established in December 1944, over 70 years ago, as a steel tubing and bicycle parts manufacturer who started building cars in the 1970s.

Coming from a background of building cars under licence for the likes of Fiat, Mazda and Peugeot, it wasn’t until the 1980s when Kia started to produce vehicles under their own brand name, and only more recently were they to become minority owned by Hyundai, who currently holds a 33.88% stake in the company, in 2015.

How popular is Kia in the United Kingdom?

From the mid-1990s, the amount of Kia cars on UK roads has seen a steady increase to the current number of around 800k today.

Given their reliability, value for money and market-leading 7-year, 100k mile warranty, Kia is a marque that is heading for further popularity, greater sales and added respect.

Superb value for money

With an extensive range of models to choose from, Kia cars offer excellent value. From their city car Picanto starting at under £10k, through to their luxury spec SUV Sorento at £30k, Kia cars compete with more established mainstream brands, offering not only strong price-points but with advanced levels of technology and the extended benefits you’d expect from a car of a higher price.

Kia Sportage: The 10th best selling car in the UK

Given the rise in growth of the Korean car brand, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see its best selling model sneak into the top 10 best selling cars of 2018. This great value and practical SUV is ideal for family motoring; not only is it rugged and good looking, but it’s also backed with Kia’s impressive reliability and extensive warranty.

How often should a driveshaft need replacing?

There is no set lifespan of a driveshaft, but it shouldn’t need to be replaced for at least 75,000 miles, unless it gets damaged. It’s important to note that this can vary a lot depending on the car, driving style and habits. The driveshaft will need to be replaced sooner if it gets damaged. Because driveshafts are very precisely balanced and weighted, when there is an issue, it will instantly affect the drivability of the car.

What happens during a driveshaft repair?

Our certified mechanics will:

• Safely jack the car so they can inspect the driveshaft.

• Replace the faulty or damaged driveshaft if necessary.

• Check any related components and advise if any need to be replaced.

• Double check the drive assembly and test drive the car.

• Make any final adjustments, if needed.

What causes a driveshaft to break?

Since drive shafts must rotate very quickly in order to do their job, they must remain weighted down and balanced exactly right. Therefore even the slightest damage will prevent the drive shafts from operating properly. This damage is usually due to an accident or can occur whilst driving over a bump or pothole. In most cases, when the driveshaft becomes damaged the car will become very bumpy and difficult to handle.

When should a driveshaft be replaced?

While there is no set lifespan of a driveshaft, it shouldn’t need to be replaced for at least 75,000 miles. It’s important to note that this can vary a lot depending on the car, driving style and habits.

The driveshaft will need to be replaced sooner if it gets damaged. Because driveshafts are very precisely balanced and weighted, when there is an issue, it will instantly affect the drivability of the car.

What are the symptoms of a bad driveshaft?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

• Scraping, squeaking and rattling sounds from underneath your car.

• Problems when turning your car is a tell-tale sign of a bad driveshaft.

• Intense vibrations coming from underneath the car.

• A significant shudder when accelerating from low speed or a stopped position.

What happens during a driveshaft repair?

Our certified mechanics will:

• Safely jack the car so they can inspect the driveshaft.

• Replace the faulty or damaged driveshaft if necessary.

• Check any related components and advise if any need to be replaced.

• Double check the drive assembly and test drive the car.

• Make any final adjustments, if needed.

What is the average life of a driveshaft?

There is no set lifespan of a driveshaft, but it shouldn’t need to be replaced for at least 75,000 miles, unless it gets damaged. It’s important to note that this can vary a lot depending on the car, driving style and habits.

Can you drive with a bad driveshaft?

Driving with a bad driveshaft is not recommended. A damaged or faulty driveshaft will severely affect the drivability of your vehicle, making it very difficult to handle and potentially dangerous on the roads. If your driveshaft is damaged you will experience issues when turning, shuddering when accelerating and intense vibrations when driving.

What happens if you don't replace a bad driveshaft?

Failing to replace a bad driveshaft could result in further, more expensive, damage to the car. If you begin to experience any of the above symptoms, we recommend having your driveshaft inspected and replaced if necessary. Having your car regularly serviced will ensure that any issues related to the driveshaft are picked up and dealt with early.