5 Signs Your Car May Need a Tune-Up

If you’ve had your car for a while, you may begin to notice when it needs a tune-up. There are some obvious signs you can look for when your vehicle begins to frequently stall, get poor mileage, misfires, or is difficult to start. When you do bring your car to a mechanic, they will often ask how you know there’s something wrong with your vehicle. What you’ll do is explain the problem to the mechanic, and in turn, they’ll suggest some tests they can run to fix your car.

Describing any sounds you hear coming from the engine or how your car feels when driving are other examples of what a mechanic will want to know before fixing your vehicle. These signs are just some of the reasons why your car may need a tune-up.

1. Misfiring Engine

A misfiring engine is when the spark plugs ignite at the wrong time when you’re starting your vehicle. This can be caused by having worn spark plugs from years of use. Spark plugs should be changed otherwise they can lead to low fuel economy, a slow acceleration, and your vehicle will be hard to start. These plugs usually last around 100,000 miles or more depending on how often you drive and the length of those trips.

The computers in engines do a great job of balancing out the worn plugs, making your Honda in Los Angeles still relatively easy to start. When your vehicle is having problems starting, it’s important to keep in mind that this may not be the only problem.

2. Engine Deposits

Engine deposits are build-ups of fuel and other materials that usually occur on your engine over time. They are often caused by low-quality gasoline and a byproduct of air and fuel combustion. These deposits build up slowly, meaning it takes time for your engine to stop working, but they will eventually make your engine lose power. To repair such a problem takes an entire fuel system cleaning. This can be done either by taking your car into a repair shop or using a gas-tank additive. Once this problem is fixed, your engine will run much smoother than before.

3. Dirty Engine Air Filter

A dirty engine air filter is exactly what it sounds like; the vehicle’s air filter will need to be changed. The main problem with having a clogged engine air filter is the reduction of acceleration. This happens because filters get dirty slowly over time, which means you might not notice that your car now has a huge problem with accelerating properly. Obviously, there are other reasons that can affect the way your vehicle accelerates, but this is one of the easier and more inexpensive ways of doing so.

You should change the air filter every year or so to ensure your Honda Odyssey in Los Angeles is running smoothly. If you live in a city that has a lot of smog in the air, it’s better to check every six months to make sure no clogging will occur when you least expect it.

4. Old Oxygen Sensor

An oxygen sensor is an electronic device that is used to measure the exact amount of oxygen in gas or a liquid. This determines whether or not your engine is running at top performance. An oxygen sensor can hurt your car’s fuel economy if it’s in an older state. The oxygen sensor can still work, but that doesn’t mean it won’t have its problems. Engine performance will also be greatly affected by having an inefficient oxygen sensor. Some of the other issues your vehicle could have relating to the oxygen sensor are worn piston rings, improperly seated valves, or restrictions occurring in the exhaust system.

5. Check Engine Light On

The check engine light is one of the easiest ways to determine whether or not you need to make a trip to the repair shop. This light turns on when something is wrong in the emissions control system. Even the fuel economy and engine performance can be affected depending on the issue. Most people tend to drive around with their check engine light on for days without heading to a mechanic. It’s important to visit the Honda dealership in Los Angeles where you purchased your car so they can take a look and determine what the problem is.

Since the check engine light can lead to a ton of issues, it’s important that you don’t take any chances by not getting it fixed. Oftentimes, your driver’s manual can allude to what the problem might be. This will give you some sort of idea when you head to the repair shop in your area.

There are numerous problems that can occur because of one simple light turning on, but it’s imperative to remember that there are a ton of solutions as well. Although you can fix minor problems yourself, it’s suggested that you visit a mechanic for all problems with your vehicle. The small issue may turn into something much larger than you may not know how to fix. At this point, it will be much more expensive to repair as well.

It’s good to have a general idea of what the problem may be when your engine needs a tune-up. Mechanics will be able to diagnose an issue and have the right equipment to fix anything wrong with your car. They can then let you know what the cause may have been, as well as what they did to fix the problem. Despite the cost of using a mechanic, you will be much happier that your car was fixed by a skilled professional.

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