Q: The mechanic said my son's car is leaking grease. What does this mean and what are the dangers?

asked by on November 07, 2016

The mechanic said my son's car is leaking grease on the axle. What does this mean and what are the dangers?

My car has 10000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Axle / CV Shaft Assembly Replacement $216.91 - $1118.08 Get a Quote

Hey there. Your son’s car has something called a constant velocity (CV) joint which is essentially the drive axle that transmits power from the transmission to the wheels. These CV joints have rubber boots that surround them to keep dirt and debris form getting inside them.

They are also lubricated with grease and fluid. When these rubber boots begin to crack or tear (this is common), they will cause the axles to leak a bit of grease or fluid. Long term, this will eventually cause the axles to fail and in extreme cases cause them to lock up which can be dangerous. Generally, if this is handled early on, there is not any danger to this. You may notice some popping or clicking sounds from this area of the car. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect the suspension so that this can be repaired accordingly.

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