Your vehicle’s exhaust system is crucial to your safety and your engine’s performance. If the exhaust system is clogged, leaking, or malfunctioning in some other way, you’ll end up with engine performance issues. Trojan Auto Care is going to list the signs of a bad exhaust system below. It’s important that you have your vehicle’s exhaust system inspected as soon as possible because, as you’ll discover, a malfunctioning exhaust system can make it dangerous to drive your car, truck, or C/SUV.
Acceleration Noise
One of the most common signs of exhaust system trouble is loud acceleration. This is a sign that you have a hole in the muffler or a problem with the exhaust manifold. As you press down on the accelerator it will sound as if you have tricked out your muffler, even if you haven’t. This is not only a sign that you need to have your exhaust system inspected but can also put you at risk of getting a ticket.
Check Engine Light
When the exhaust system starts to have problems, your check engine light will most likely come on. This is because the exhaust system is not able to remove the exhaust that has built up inside the combustion chamber. Consequently, the buildup of the exhaust will cause the additional problems we are going to discuss below. Your engine control module will be alerted of these problems and turn on the check engine light
Power Loss
When your vehicle cannot clear away the exhaust that builds up in the combustion chamber, your engine combustion is no longer efficient. New air and fuel cannot be ignited to keep your engine running smoothly. Consequently, you will notice that your engine loses power and, at the same time, your car may start to vibrate. You will notice these power lags most when you try to pick up speed.
Poor Fuel Economy
As your engine struggles to run, it will burn through whatever fuel can make its way into the combustion chamber. Consequently, because the exhaust is inhibiting the efficiency of engine combustion, your fuel efficiency will suffer, as well. You will notice that you have a reduction in your fuel economy until such time as you get the exhaust system repaired.
Sulfur/Gas Odors
Finally, you may notice sulfur odors, which smell like rotten eggs, in your vehicle’s exhaust or in the engine bay. This is a sign that your catalytic converter is malfunctioning. You may also end up with gasoline odors inside your automobile and outside of it. This is dangerous because you could be inhaling carbon monoxide.
Trojan Auto Care in Troy, OH, would be happy to inspect your vehicle’s exhaust system. Call us today to schedule an appointment.
