If you intend to keep your vehicle in good operating condition for as long as possible, it’s important that you constantly keep an eye out for any signs of engine trouble. The more you drive your vehicle, the more you should have an understanding of what your vehicle should sound and feel like during normal operation, meaning you’ll probably notice pretty quickly if something seems wrong.
Are you wondering, “Is my car’s engine failing?” Here are just a few of the most common signs of potential engine failure in Conway, AR that should lead you to pay a visit to a mechanic as soon as possible:
- Larger amounts of exhaust: Have you started to notice more smoke coming out of your vehicle’s tailpipe? If so, you should get an appointment scheduled with your maintenance technician. The color of the smoke might indicate the type of problem you’re dealing with. Blue-tinted smoke is generally a sign of burning oil. Black smoke is a sign your vehicle is using too much fuel for normal operation. White exhaust is a sign that there’s coolant starting to leak into the combustion chamber. All of these issues require attention as soon as you can get it.
- Strange sounds: If you notice knocking noises or other strange sounds coming from under the hood, these could be a sign of engine difficulties. Usually they’ll be indicative of failure in engine bearings, which are what support the movement of the various parts of the engine that are in constant motion. If you don’t address this issue quickly, you could experience some major damage to your vehicle’s engine.
- Worse engine performance: If you’ve had a sudden drop in fuel efficiency, or find it difficult for your car to accelerate as quickly as it once did, this could be a sign that there’s something wrong with your engine. The same is true if it takes your engine more time to “warm up” for usage. You should address these issues as soon as possible. Your vehicle might just need a tune-up, but there could be a more significant problem at the root of the issue that needs to be addressed.
- Rough idling: Does your vehicle have a hard time keeping itself running smoothly when you’re stopped at red lights or otherwise idling? If so, this is a problem you’re going to want to address immediately. In some cases, rough idling is a result of problems with the fuel delivery process, but there are a variety of issues of ranging severity that could result in your vehicle having troubles staying on while idling.
- Check engine light: Has the check engine light shown up on your dashboard? If so, it’s important that you not ignore this indicator. It might only be a small issue that caused it to turn on, but it could also be something that could turn into a big problem. You should get the issue checked out as soon as you can.
For more information about some of the most common signs of engine failure in Conway, AR, we encourage you to contact the team at Riverdale Automotive today.