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Is it safe to drive a car with broken motor mounts?

My daughter has a 1989 Camry and the motor mounts are broken. I was told that this will only cause noise and vibration but the car is safe to drive. Is this true? My daughter has a 1989 Camy with broken motor mounts. Is it safe to drive, I was told yes and that there would only be noise and vibration. I dont have thousands to fix this car, how much would it cost? Update: we took the car to a mechanic and they checked the engine mounts and said no repairs are needed, still dont know whats causing the vibration but they said the car is safe.

Public Comments

1. It may be relatively safe, but to continue to drive it this way can damage the CV axle joints and in standard shift cars it will cause premature wear on the clutch components.
2. no -- it's dangerous
3. Can damage transmission seriously and cause a lot of other issues.
4. It will wear on the car eventually. I had a car that I drove a while before I could replace an engine mount. I would look at the engine and see if there is anything that may be rubbing with the engine sitting in the broken mount. I think the engine may cause more vibrtion now. I would change the engine as soon as possible. Make sure the timing belt doesn't rub anywhere.
5. It depends how they are broken. Honestly, I would get it fixed. Engine mounts don't cost much, and they will save you having to fix things like the exhaust manifold leaks, and strange clunking sounds.. I changed the mounts on my old car for around $60-$70 for parts, and an afternoon's work. A Camry would cost a bit more because of the transverse engine and labour, but certainly not thousands.
6. For goodness sakes get an estimate from a few repair shops. It is just a motor mount and not an engine rebuild.
7. No . Get it repaired as soon as possible. More damage to other components will happen to the vehicle , plus it is unsafe in general to drive a car with broken motor mounts. It can effect many other items with your vehicle .
8. Absolutely not. There are no inessential parts under the engine cover of a car except for air conditioning bits. If one motor mount was busted, it might be "safe" to drive very gently to the closest repair shop. But you write "mountS". This means the engine will be flopping about, back and forth and side to side as it tries to drive the wheels through the transmission. If you try this I predict eventual and possibly immediate severe damage to transmission, possibly radiator, radiator hoses, possibly alternator, power steering pump, power brake vacuum hoses or the power brake diaphragm, suspension and whatever remains of the motor mounts. It will end up costing you much more in the long or even short run. Get it fixed now. If you can't afford it just now, garage the car until you can. Repair costs should be in the low hundreds, but only if you DONT let anyone drive the car first.
9. I had a 1987 Plymouth Caravelle, The front moter mount (front of the engine, is on the passenger side) broke, and dropped the engine down far enough to snap the C/V axel and throw me into an almost dead stop when the axel shaft jammed. I have a cliant who had a 1993 Geo Firefly, I kept on telling him that he needed to do the motor mounts because they were at a point of being dangerious, he kept blowing it off like it was nothing, and then the mount finally stressed out and broke, the engine, ended up having enough motion, it rolled itself under the car, or as far as it could before the other mount stopped it, the cylinder head was sitting benieth the passenger compartment. However. If the mount rubber is just cracked by age and is still holding together well, there is no real danger as long as the mounts are not sagging or ripping. I would talk to the guy who recomended they be changed, and get him to show you as to why he says that. If its a car that is for your daughter, I would suspect that you would want it 100% safe to drive, or as close as possible, and not take any needless risks. I found out the hardway (mine was caused by a support bolt snapping and bent the bracket, the rubber was still good), I hope you don't find out that way too.
10. Safe for you? Absolutely Safe for the car? NOOOOOO
11. Motor mounts are so important they are made with an internal back up that keeps it safe. I've bought worked on and sold a lot, x9th, of antique cars never have I seen a broken motor mount. never go to a shop and tell them what the problem is! So go to a shop and say"somethings amiss with my car can you find it and give me a free estimate?"
12. If it is a front wheel drive the vibration can be coming from worn CV Joints. Your mechanic should have known that. I would take it to a place that does lots of front end work and alignments.