What would happen if the tie rod broke?

Answer 1

If your steering rack is in front of the front axles or CV joints, that wheel will flop out and at best you will come to an uncomfortable and frightening stop with a minimum amount of damage. If the steering rack is behind the axles or the CV joints you can coast to a stop. The way to avoid this is to have your front suspension and steering checked every time you have your tires rotated.

You will lose complete steering of the vehicle. They connect the wheels to the steering wheel.