The exhaust system on your car plays an important role in both vehicle performance and vehicle safety. An exhaust system’s primary function is to keep harmful gases away from the vehicle’s cabin. They also help to reduce engine noise, reduce pollution from vehicle emissions, maintain fuel efficiency, and increase vehicle performance. When an exhaust system stops working, it can cause all sorts of problems. Here are some signs that may indicate an issue with your exhaust system.
Signs of an Exhaust Problem
Excess Fumes
While it is normal for there to be some fumes coming from your exhaust system, an excess of fumes indicates a problem. Most of the time, these excess fumes will work their way into the cabin of your car. This can be dangerous for you and your passengers. These sorts of fumes can be caused by damage to your exhaust pipe or a leak somewhere in your exhaust system. If you notice fumes in your car’s cabin, it’s vital to have it checked ASAP. Exhaust fumes can be dangerous and even deadly if you breathe them in for too long.
Vibrations or Shuddering
There are a lot of vehicle issues that can cause vibrations, shaking, or shuddering. If it’s an issue with your exhaust, the vibrations are most likely being caused by a loose hanger or bracket, a misaligned pipe, or even a failing muffler or catalytic converter. Leaks in your exhaust system may also lead to vibrations. Because there are other, non-exhaust reasons that your car may be shaking, it’s important to take it to a mechanic for a thorough inspection.
Weird Sounds
There are a number of different sounds that can come from an issue with your exhaust system, and each one can indicate a different problem.
- Loud engine sounds or rumbling—This type of sound is often caused by broken mufflers. A muffler’s main purpose is to muffle the noise from your engine, so a break or a leak in the muffler can prevent it from working properly.
- Chugging sounds—A chugging sound may indicate a blockage somewhere in your exhaust system. If left unchecked, this can lead to other damage.
- Hissing noises—This is mostly likely caused by a crack somewhere in your exhaust pipe or your exhaust manifold gasket.
- Scraping or rattling—Scraping sounds from under your car may be caused by a misaligned or loose exhaust pipe. If your exhaust pipe begins to drag under car, pull over as soon as you can. Driving with a dragging exhaust pipe can create dangerous sparks or a road hazard if it falls off. It’s best to have your car towed when the exhaust pipe is dragging.
Weird Smells
Weird smells from any part of your car are often a sign of trouble. If you suspect there’s an issue with your exhaust system, two smells you should watch out for are a rotten egg smell and a burning smell. The rotten egg smell comes from sulfur, which is often found in exhaust gas. If you can smell this sulfuric, rotten egg smell, it may mean there’s a leak in your exhaust system or your catalytic converter has failed. A burning smell can also be caused by a leak. If you notice a burning smell accompanied by smoke, stop driving your car immediately and have it towed to a qualified mechanic.
Issues with Acceleration
Your exhaust system has a direct impact on your vehicle’s performance. Parts of your exhaust system, like the oxygen sensor, help to regular your engine’s fuel-to-air ratio. If you notice a drop in acceleration power or trouble getting your car to the correct speed, this may mean your exhaust system is failing. If any parts of the system are crushed, deformed, or leaking, your engine power will decline. Leaks could lead to other expensive repairs, so it’s a good idea to deal with them quickly.
Poor Fuel Efficiency
This issue is related to the previous issue. Damage to your exhaust system can cause your engine to overwork itself. This may cause your car to overcompensate and burn more fuel, lowering your fuel efficiency. There are a number of other reasons you may be noticing poor fuel efficiency, so it’s important to have your car checked if this happens.
Rust
Rust is the silent killer for many a car part, and because of the location along a vehicle’s undercarriage, exhaust systems are especially susceptible. If you typically take a lot of shorter trips, your car may be more vulnerable to rust damage. This is because shorter trips are long enough for your exhaust system to collect water without heating your car long enough for the water to evaporate. If you find rust anywhere on your car, make sure you get it checked out.
The Check Engine Light
Check engine lights can be triggered by many different issues. If your exhaust system is triggering your check engine light, it’s likely due to either your oxygen sensor or your catalytic converter. These are both important parts of your exhaust system. Your oxygen sensor measures and regulates your engine’s fuel-to-air ratio. Your catalytic converter takes in harmful emissions and converts them into less harmful emissions. If either of these should fail, the check engine light will turn on.
Call Restored Auto, LLC for help.
If you believe your vehicle is having an exhaust problem, Restored Auto, LLC can help. We’ll work to get a proper diagnosis for your vehicle and repair or replace the faulty parts of your exhaust system so you can get back on the road safely and swiftly. Give us a call to schedule an appointment.
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