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.

Porsche

Porsche AG is a German automobile manufacturer, established over 88 years ago in 1931, and is renowned for producing high-performance sports cars, SUVs and saloon cars.

Porsche is owned by Volkswagen AG and carries a total equity of over €10billion (according to 2015 figures).

How popular is Porsche in the United Kingdom?

Who wouldn’t want a Porsche? Porsche has been setting standards in high-performance sports vehicles for as long as they’ve been in the industry.

There are currently around 146k Porsche vehicles on the roads in the UK, showing a steady rise in numbers over the past 10 years.

Luxury, high-end performance sports cars

With a back catalogue of historic models too numerous to mention, the current range provides typical 2-seat mid-engine sports cars in the Porsche 718 and Porsche 911 models, luxury touring in the Panamera 4-seat full-size saloon and a luxurious level of crossover driving in the Cayenne and Macan SUVs.

Sporting a selection of SUV models

Given the popularity of the SUV in modern driving, it was only a matter of time until the high-end marques got involved in revving up the performance and presentation.

For example, the Cayenne Turbo can accelerate from 0–62mph in 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 177mph. The hybrid electric model is equally as impressive with figures of 5.0 seconds and 157mph. That should take care of the school run in record time.

Porsche electric: the plug-in hybrid range

In 2010, the both Porsche SUV models and the Porsche 918 were released as hybrid electric versions. Currently, only the Cayenne is available as an electric hybrid, but Porsche is building towards the release of their E-performance range: with the new Taycan all-electric sports car being developed through the Mission E Cross Turismo concept study.

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.