Driveshaft snapped

[swhull]

So yesterday I drove halfway into town, pulled out of a junction and crack! Almighty rumbling noise coming from front end. Car wouldn't drive so had to push it to safety, looked underneath and the bloody driveshaft is spinning freely and completely sheared in half. Luckily the RAC could tow me to the garage. £240 to fix 

How the hell do these things shear in half? First thing RAC guy said is "things don't usually go wrong with these cars" 

[Johncb500]

It must be the fierce power




Hard luck.



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[swhull]

Exactly, all the hard launches from traffic lights must’ve severely weakened it over time 

[geoffchats]

The guy at my garage said that the number of broken driveshafts, on all cars, rises proportionately with the number of potholes...

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[madasafish]

Known weakness I believe.
Was it rusty? That weakens it I understand

Which side?

[swhull]

It was the o/s driveshaft. Couldn’t see much rust, although I didn’t inspect it that much. I’ll have a look at the garage Tomorrow and see if he still has the old one lying around.

Bit annoying that it’s a known weakness, don’t fancy the other side failing anytime soon.

[swhull]

Think it just rusted and gave way, mechanic seemed to think so. Just dirt and general crap getting into the join and degrading it over time. At least it didn’t damage anything else when it broke, just swapped it out and topped up the gearbox oil. Good to go.

[madasafish]

AT 3 minutes: common fault Jazz.

[123Drive!]

Mine snapped two yrs ago after 11 yrs and 110,000 miles. Apparently it doesn't snapp on the other side.

[Westy36]

First I'd ever heard of this issue. Sounds like it could be a scary thing to have happen for sure.

If the shaft were to be inspected, and ideas what would sign pending doom?

Was it much to get replaced?

[swhull]

Yeah the n/s shaft is not known to go.

It is a bit disconcerting when it happens, westy,  that’s for sure. At first it sounded like the transmission had exploded or something snapped in the engine, so to find out it was only the driveshaft was a relief. It didn’t damage anything related to the gearbox or engine so that’s good.

I guess you could check for signs of rust near the joins, but it seems like dirt and salt and general road rubbish has just gotten to it and weakened it over the years. And it seems to be a known jazz mk2 issue from what I’ve read, and the video posted earlier in this thread.

Cost £240 all in, not a cheap part, but quick job.

[Geordielad]

I broke a drive shaft on my old RAV 4 while climbing out of Beck Hole in North Yorks when I tried to change down clumsily. The kind owners of the Birch Hill pub let us phone Green Flag and after about 3 hours the guy turned up and lo and behold he drove back down the steep hill and we were mobile again.
Turns out he pushed the diff lock button! I hadn’t even thought of this, d’oh!
Anyway drive home about 50 miles very gingerly.
I dread to think what it could have been like, given some of the wild places we’d driven in and out of. Thanks for small mercies eh?

[Jocko]

The guy at my garage said that the number of broken driveshafts, on all cars, rises proportionately with the number of potholes...

I was taught years ago, and I still do it now, to declutch over unduly rough sections. I do it over speedbumps these days. It seemingly reduces the strain on the transmission.

[Westy36]

I was taught years ago, and I still do it now, to declutch over unduly rough sections. I do it over speedbumps these days. It seemingly reduces the strain on the transmission.

Never heard of that before, but sounds like good advice for sure.

[aphybrid]

Think it just rusted and gave way, mechanic seemed to think so. Just dirt and general crap getting into the join and degrading it over time. At least it didn’t damage anything else when it broke, just swapped it out and topped up the gearbox oil. Good to go.

corrosion pitting may have initiated the failure looks like fatigue striations coming from a couple, though better photo of fracture face may/may not confirm