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Is a Car Totaled If The Axle is Bent?

Is a Car Totaled If The Axle is Bent?

A totaled car is a vehicle that is a total loss with low resale value and irreversible damages. For example, an axle is bent when it hits a pothole; its alignment changes and requires instant repair. 

Is a Car Totaled If The Axle is Bent? A car is totaled if the axle is bent when the repair cost is higher than the car’s standard value. For example, an insurance company totaled it due to expensive repairs, old age, vulnerability to further damages, and gearbox failure. 

You cannot repair a bent axle because it is severe damage. In addition, with basic policies, the insurance company does not pay for these failures. 

Why is a car totaled if the axle is bent?

 You cannot drive a car with a bent and broken axle because it cannot support the wheels. As a result, the vehicle becomes uncontrollable due to poor repair, leading to dangerous accidents. 

Policies of the insurance company

Several cars have insurance policies to refund losses during sudden accidents. These companies have different policies according to the automobile’s condition and type of accident. 

According to the financial approach, insurance companies check a car. The company provides compensation for mechanical damages. 

With a comprehensive policy, the insurance companies cover bent axles and other severe damages. In addition, their representatives check the condition of vehicles after the bent axle.

This issue is common in older variants because their axles undergo severe damage. The axle bends due to a hit on a curb which is not collisional damage.

Comprehensive insurance policies have distinct specifications, which include repairs and refunds for accidents that do not happen due to collision. In crashes, the company blames the driver and does not refund the loss.

Due to axle damages, the company totaled the car due to irreversible damages. However, it compensates for the expenses according to the comprehensive policies. 

Repairing procedure and its cost

The axle repair is challenging due to its design and type of damage. Moreover, for fixation, you can carry out different techniques, which increase the total procedure cost.

It is advisable not to spend excessive money on the repair when the axle loses its standard shape and alignment. It is significant damage that can determine the procedure cost without troubleshooting. 

In these conditions, a totaled car is better than a repaired car. The average cost to repair the front axle of a vehicle is about $550 to $1200. 

For the rear axle, you can spend around $420 to $750. You cannot spend hundreds of dollars on an old vehicle. The repaired axle cannot support the tires and frame with maximum potential. 

The damage is more severe than the repair procedure and its cost. It can exceed the standard value of the car, which is a total loss. 

Car age and vulnerability 

Older cars have vulnerable axles due to low-quality designs and poor performance. As a result, they have more chances of a bent axle affecting automobile functions.

Due to older designs, these vehicles do not have spare parts. Therefore, you cannot replace them with older cars. 

However, repairing them is expensive, and you cannot remove the cracks. In addition, due to complicated designs, their repair is challenging, and you cannot afford it.

A few variants are around 20 years old. They have complicated axles with different attachment joints. 

Due to these complexities and configurations, these are vulnerable to more axle damage and cannot perform after a repair. They are totaled more often after a bent axle than the latest variants. 

Damages of gearbox

The axle crosses the car’s transmission due to particular designs and building specifications. Due to its bent, it can reduce the performance of gears and their shifters.

The transmission and axle connect directly to move the vehicle in a specific direction. With a bent axle, the gears cannot coordinate. 

The axle does not spin due to the input signals of the gear shifters. Instead, the wheels become stationary and cannot change their position due to friction and damage. 

The gears cannot support the axle, and the insurance company declares it a totaled vehicle. Therefore, you cannot use this automobile for regular driving because it can cause severe accidents. 

What are the signs and symptoms of bent axles in a car?

 They have a specific alignment that alters due to collision over a curb. These are a few prominent symptoms of a bent axle that totaled a car.

Fluid leakage

Due to the bent axle, the driveshaft breaks and causes fluid leakage. It happens on all the 4WD or the all-wheel drive variants. Due to its bent, the housing of the axle separates into two halves. 

As a result, the fluid flows out, resulting in leakage and requiring repair. In addition, it reduces the level of lubricant inside the housing and moving parts. 

Also, it can lead to severe damage to the spinning parts. The driveshaft seals crack due to the modified shape of the axle.

Fluid leaks from the broken seals and reduces automobile efficiency. 

Vibrations and knocking noises

You cannot drive a car with a bent axle smoothly because it produces a loud knocking sound. In addition, due to shape changes, it can strike other rotational parts during driving conditions.

The collision of metallic components produces a clicking sound and decreases the driver’s attention. During driving, you can feel vibrational effects.

The steering wheel cannot stabilize the axle and loses work efficiency. The suspension breaks down, and the wheels lose their response to the steering system. 

You cannot drive the automobile on a stable on uneven ground. Clunking noises are one of the significant indications of bent axles. 

Damage to other parts

The automobile and its moving components undergo excessive strain when the axle bends. As a result, the other car parts face high pressure, which leads to severe damage.

Due to heavyweights, the bent axle cannot support the frame. In such circumstances, the vehicle’s performance reduces, and you can lose control over the steering wheel. 

Due to excessive strain, the gas pedal breaks. The shock absorbers undergo wear and cracks. 

Moreover, the vehicle cannot withstand the pressure and leans in one direction. Due to sudden movement, it undergoes accidents and irreversible frame damage. 

Lack of wheel alignment

The wheels lose their alignment when the axle bends. In these conditions, you cannot drive the automobile in one direction.

They lose their parallel alignment, which affects the speed. Furthermore, the tires change their angles which can alter the direction of the automobiles without an indication.

In these conditions, gravity can pull the vehicle toward the road. However, due to poor wheel alignment, the automobile wobbles.

It is dangerous for the surrounding drivers and pedestrians. 

What happens when a car is totaled due to a broken axle?

You cannot use a totaled car due to a bent axle that cannot support the frame. However, you can sell the vehicle at the salvage yards. 

These scrap yards have different auctions for these useless vehicles. For your automobile, the salvage yard can provide a few dollars. 

However, the amount is far lower than the standard worth of your car. But, the scrape yards pay a specific price for the damaged frame. 

They can purchase these vehicles without a repair or surface fixation. Also, you can get rid of the broken automobile through these selling procedures.

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