No it is not! Tie rods and very inexpensive to replace, and if you known someone that is mechanically inclined, you can go to your local auto parts store and get one even cheaper. The problem with a tie rod is that it is the end piece that controls your steering, if it goes you have no steering capability. There are two tie rods on either side, the inner tie rod and the outer tie rod. You must first determine which has gone bad and then go for there. However, driven for long periods of time with out fixing can cause the other tie rods to go bad because of the compensation being made for the degenerated one. It can also severely affect your alignment and also other Key and expensive suspension and Drive train components such as shocks, tires and rims, control arms, steering column and a host of other equipment that it is connected to.
