It is generally not recommended to drive your vehicle with a damaged or leaking exhaust system. Here are a couple of reasons why: it starts with safety. If you have a damaged exhaust system, it could result in toxic fumes, such as carbon monoxide, entering your vehicle. Breathing in these fumes could be harmful to your health and could even result in death in high concentrations. Performance issues could be another reason to get your exhaust checked out, but more importantly, there are certain states that have laws requiring vehicles to have properly functioning exhaust systems. Perhaps the most important reason to get your exhaust looked at would be for engine damage. Your exhaust system plays a crucial role in directing harmful gases away from the engine. If there’s a leak in your exhaust system, it could cause damage to your engine or make it overheat.