“God forbid a tire gets tired.”
It takes a few seconds to notice it, but once you do, you can’t look away: as a Honda creeps across an icy road, one of the rear wheels stays perfectly still, locked in place while the rest of the car moves.
A viral TikTok with more than 11 million views erupted with jokes, theories, and actual mechanical diagnoses, all trying to explain how a wheel can just…decide not to participate.
“I’m no mechanic, but I don’t think a car is supposed to do that,” frustrated motorist @youloveeash wrote in the caption, and you can sense the bewildered sarcasm that she’s trying to convey to her viewers.
Once the clip circulated beyond the creator’s corner of TikTok, the comments section became a case study in how internet culture reacts when something is obviously wrong, yet not immediately catastrophic. One viewer deadpanned that the car simply had a “lazy wheel,” prompting a cascade of jokes from people claiming they had lazy eyes and were “still doing just fine.”
Another commenter declared the situation was just “Jesus taking the wheel,” an old expression that typically refers to divine guidance rather than literal wheel repossession.
Beneath the humor, a substantial number of viewers were genuinely curious about what could cause a wheel to freeze while the rest of the vehicle continues forward. That’s where things shift from internet comedy to actual automotive troubleshooting.
The short answer is that several perfectly mundane mechanical issues can cause a wheel to stop rotating, especially in freezing weather. The Honda in the video appears to be a front-wheel-drive (FWD) model, which means the front tires are responsible for pulling the car forward. If a rear wheel locks up on a front-wheel-drive car in icy conditions, the vehicle can still move because the drivetrain doesn’t require all four wheels to turn. Most FWD cars will continue rolling, albeit with noticeable drag or pulling sensations, when a rear brake is stuck or frozen.
In cold climates, the most common culprit is a frozen parking brake. Many older Hondas and economy cars use drum brakes on the rear axle, and drum systems can accumulate moisture from snow, rain, or road slush.
Parking brakes can freeze when temperatures drop below 32°F if moisture collects on the shoes or the cable mechanism. When that happens, releasing the brake lever doesn’t always fully disengage the brake shoes, leaving the wheel stuck until the components warm up or the ice breaks free.
Another likely cause is a seized caliper, a problem that can occur on any disc-equipped rear axle. Corrosion, worn slider pins, or a stuck piston can create continuous clamping pressure. Braking experts warn that dragging or seized brakes can generate significant heat, potentially damaging the rotor and pads, and even increasing the fire risk if the friction is excessive.
A few commenters described the same failure happening to their own cars, including one who claimed their vehicle “caught on fire” after dragging a frozen wheel for several blocks. That scenario, while rare, isn’t far-fetched. Overheated brakes can, in some cases, ignite accumulated grease, rubber dust, or worn pad material.
While the TikTok clip doesn’t offer enough detail to definitively diagnose the Honda, the symptoms match both a frozen drum brake and a seized caliper: one wheel is locked, the car is still moving, and the issue appears suddenly during cold weather conditions.
In short, yes. Continuing to drive with a frozen or stuck wheel can have consequences beyond the obvious loss of control. Automotive researchers note that braking performance is significantly compromised when one wheel cannot rotate freely, resulting in increased stopping distances and reduced stability during emergency maneuvers.
There’s also the issue of tire damage. A locked wheel dragged on pavement, even at low speeds, can create flat spots or tear the rubber surface. Tire Rack explains that flat-spotting is common when a tire repeatedly slides instead of rolling, especially in cold temperatures when rubber compounds are less flexible.
Luckily for the driver in the TikTok video, she was traveling slowly on an icy surface. Ice reduces friction, which likely prevented more serious damage. However, on dry pavement, dragging a locked wheel for even a short distance can overheat the drum, score the rotor, damage the brake pads or shoes, and potentially necessitate a full brake service.
If a driver notices a wheel not turning, experts recommend stopping as soon as it’s safe. Safety experts advise against driving any distance with a suspected brake issue, as further movement can worsen the damage and increase repair costs.
Checking that the parking brake is fully disengaged is the first step. If the problem occurs in freezing weather, allowing the car to sit and warm up may help thaw a frozen mechanism. But if the wheel remains locked, the next step should be to call a mechanic or roadside assistance. Most frozen brake issues are inexpensive to fix, often requiring only lubrication, cable adjustments, or the replacement of a caliper or brake shoe assembly.
Motor1 reached out to the creator via direct message and commented on the clip. We’ll be sure to update this if they respond.
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