Do you suspect that your car might be experiencing engine problems? If so, you shouldn’t ignore them under any circumstances.
The engine is obviously one of the most important parts of a car. It’s the heart and soul of it, and as a result, it can cost at least several thousand dollars to replace an engine, if not more.
The good news is that most car engine issues can be fixed before they spiral too far out of control. But you need to make sure that you spot potential problems as early on as possible so that the proper repairs can be made.
Here are seven common car engine problems you might experience.
1. Engine Won’t Start
You climb into the driver’s seat of your car, put your key into the ignition, turn it, and…nothing. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world for a car owner.
If your engine is making a clicking sound when you turn the key, there’s a good chance that the problem you’re experiencing is with your car battery and not your engine. But if the engine isn’t making any noise at all, there is likely something wrong with your engine.
You might have a faulty fuel pump that is causing issues with your engine. You might also have a blocked fuel filter or a starter motor relay that has gone bad.
Whatever the case, you won’t be able to drive your car when you’re having these engine problems. You’ll need to have a mechanic take a look at it right away.
2. Engine Is Overheating
Is the temperature gauge on your dashboard telling you that your car is overheating?
First things first: Pullover! You shouldn’t continue to drive your car if it seems to be overheating. It could cause all kinds of serious problems with your engine.
In a best-case scenario, you might just have a broken engine thermostat on your hands. But if your engine is overheating, it could also be a sign of a:
- Burnt-out radiator
- Leaky coolant system
- Blown head gaskets
If you allow your car to overheat over and over again, it can eventually wear out your engine and do some real damage to it. It’s best to take your car to the shop as soon as you can to see what’s causing it to overheat.
3. Engine Is Stalling out
One second, you’re sitting at a red light waiting for it to turn green and singing along to your favorite song on the radio. The next, your car has stalled out and you can’t go anywhere in it even though the light is now green.
Your car has probably stalled out due to engine problems. You might have an issue with your fuel line or your fuel filter. Your spark plugs could also be the culprit behind your car stalling out.
There are some things that are completely unrelated to engine issues that can cause a car to stall. But you won’t know why your car is stalling until you have a professional take a look at it.
4. Engine Is Smoking
If there is smoke billowing out from under your car’s hood, you might be very concerned. And rightfully so!
Smoke coming from under a car’s hood is never a good sign, no matter what color it might be. You could have worn gaskets, damaged cylinders, or something else wrong with your engine.
Put your car into park and have it towed to an auto repair shop that you trust. They can find out what’s causing it to send smoke out into the air and let you know if it’ll be safe to continue driving it once it’s fixed.
5. Engine Is Making Strange Sounds
Has your engine been making a series of strange sounds when you’re driving it? You might try to turn up the music to drown them out.
But rather than doing this, you should have your car inspected to see why your engine is so noisy. Everything from a weak starter to a worn-out timing belt can cause knocking under your hood.
There are also some serious engine problems that can lead to loud sounds coming from your car. A mechanic can listen to the sounds your car is making and talk to you about what they might mean.
6. Engine Is Cracked
A cracked engine block is pretty much every driver’s worst nightmare. When an engine block cracks, it’ll make it impossible for your engine to produce any power for your vehicle.
Repairing a cracked engine block can also be very expensive and very time-consuming. It can take mechanics, even experienced ones, upwards of 30 hours or more to fix a cracked engine block, if they can repair it at all.
You might want to think about taking a trip down to the Caledon Chrysler dealership to buy a new car if you ever deal with this particular engine problem. Buying a new car could be a better option than fixing your old one.
7. Engine Is Seized Up
This is one of the other engine problems that car owners do not want to see. An engine will seize up when people don’t take the time to change their oil often enough.
Once an engine seizes up on someone, there’s almost never any coming back from it. You’ll usually need to scrap your engine and replace it with a new one before you can start driving your car again.
Look out for These Engine Problems From Now on
It’s impossible for car owners to avoid engine problems altogether. As your car gets older, you’re going to encounter issues with its engine.
The key is to catch those issues prior to them turning into huge problems that you can’t handle. Doing minor maintenance and repairs to your vehicle when you spot small engine problems can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Want to see some other ways to extend the life of your engine and your car as a whole? Keep browsing our site to learn how to do it.