An improperly maintained exhaust system can bring you a lot of headaches down the line. From diminishing fuel economy to an increasing negative impact on your local environment, problems in the exhaust become more serious and expensive to resolve the longer you leave them.
The best solution, of course, is to look out for various warning signs that you exhaust needs attention. Should you spot any of them, you can give us a call here at Smart Mechanics and our experienced team will check the exhaust and repair the issues. It just so happens that exhausts are one of those special areas that we know all about.
Warning #1: Increased engine noise
When you’re driving along, does the engine seem louder than usual? You may not have paid much attention to how loud it was in the first place, but you might have noticed that you have to, for example, turn up your radio volume louder where before it was unnecessary.
Your exhaust system is part of keeping the engine quiet, so louder engine noises are a classic sign that something is wrong in the exhaust. It can be dangerous, too, because if the problem is at the manifold, then it can cause toxic fumes to leak into the passenger cabin.
Warning #2: You’re refuelling more frequently
If your usual fill-up is lasting a day or so less than usual when you’re driving habits haven’t changed, then it’s a classic sign of reduced overall efficiency. While this can happen to cars as they get older, it shouldn’t be happening on relatively new cars, and not rapidly in any car.
If you’ve noticed this change quite suddenly, it might be that you have an exhaust leak. The more acute the problem, the more serious the leak could potentially be.
Warning #3: Visible signs
There are certain indicators you can look for with a quick glance under your car at the exhaust system. Things like rust and holes should be very visible to the naked eye, even without getting too close. Hairline fractures and splits may be harder to spot, but if you can get a close-up, you might be able to see them. If you’ve noticed the first two signs, checking yourself for these signs isn’t a bad idea.
Warning #4: You smell fumes inside the car
Besides new car smell, your air freshener, or the general smells of family car life, there shouldn’t be any other weird odours coming from the car. If you ever smell fumes, which typically carry an acrid chemical scent, then you should get the car immediately seen to, because something is definitely wrong. No fumes should be making it into the passenger cabin. None.
Warning #5: Pedal or wheel vibrations
One final sign is that you notice vibrations in the steering wheel or when you press on the accelerator. These are among the strongest indicators of exhaust leaks. The smaller pedal/wheel vibrations are a prelude to what can become entire car judders if you leave it unattended.
Smart Mechanics will see to that exhaust for you
Exhausts are one of our specialities, and so we welcome any and all drivers who think they may have seen or felt any of the indicators we mention above. If you’re in the Bishops Stortford area and need exhaust repairs from our professional team of mechanics, then get in touch today.