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10 Common Reasons Your Car isn’t Accelerating Properly

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When you start your car, you expect it to move and speed up. There are many components and sensors in your car that work together to get your car moving. But if your car is starting roughly, or is not speeding up then it means that there is trouble in air or fuel delivery. There can be more than one underlying issue that makes it dangerous to drive such a car on a busy road or a highway. If you are facing this problem and are unable to diagnose the cause, this article covers some of the common reasons behind your car’s acceleration problem. For additional policy coverage, get car insurance add-on covers that will help you deal with difficult situations.

Common causes of Car Acceleration Problems

1. Diagnosing the problem:

There can be a lot of potential issues which can impact the car acceleration. One of the easiest ways to diagnose any such problem is to connect via the OBD2 port. If you are using any diagnostic devices, you can easily read any of the error codes and take remedial action accordingly. Alternatively, you can take your car to any authorised garage and they can diagnose the problem.

2. Checking the battery:

A weak or bad battery can impact the acceleration of your car. If you face any issues in cranking the engine or feel some of the electricals not performing well, it might be a good idea to have your battery checked. You can check the battery performance at any of the battery stores or authorised service centres. If the battery has been working for 3-4 years or the reading on the multimeter shows less than 11 volts, it is a good idea to change your car’s battery.

3. Dirty or Clogged Air Filter:

If your car is not accelerating, the first thing to check is the air filter. The air provided to the engine for the combustion process passes through an air filter, which catches all the impurities and debris present in the air. With continuous usage, the air filter gets clogged and doesn’t let air pass through it. Thus, the engine does not have enough air to create the optimum air-to-fuel ratio, causing poor acceleration.

4. Dirty or Faulty Mass Air Flow Sensor:

This sensor measures the amount of air that flows into the engine. A faulty sensor may send incorrect data to ECU which uses the data to calculate air to fuel ratio. This affects fuel economy causing strain on acceleration.

5. Faulty Oxygen Sensor:

This sensor monitors the oxygen level in the exhaust chamber after combustion. A faulty oxygen sensor is not able to regulate the air-fuel mixture which leads to slower acceleration.

6. Faulty Throttle Position Sensor:

This sensor monitors the throttle valve opening angle and engine’s speed. If this sensor malfunctions, the accelerator is not able to control the engine’s speed. The engine speed increases or decreases on its own.

7. Examining the Fuel System:

The combustion process requires both fuel and air. A fuel system ensures fuel supply to various parts of the car. A poor fuel delivery drains out the power of the engine resulting in poor acceleration.

A fuel system has 3 components-

◦ Fuel filter - A dirty or clogged fuel filter affects the fuel supply to the engine and thus the engine has low power causing poor acceleration. Other parts of the fuel system are the fuel injector and fuel pump.

◦ Fuel Injector - A fuel injector controls the supply of fuel to the combustion chamber through tiny passages. If these passages are clogged it affects the fuel delivery.

◦ Fuel Pump - A fuel pump supplies fuel from the fuel tank to the engine, if supply is less due to any blockage it will result in poor acceleration.

8. Troubleshooting the Ignition System:

The ignition system creates a spark to ignite the air and fuel mixture. A dirty spark plug or worn-out ignition wires prevent the complete burning of fuel in the combustion chamber. This results in the loss of power and car acceleration not working as you expect it to.

9. Timing Belt Issue:

A timing belt manages the pistons of the engine, car valves, and spark plug. It ensures that everything moves together during combustion. If it malfunctions, valves and pistons may collide with each other and the engine won’t be able to produce enough power for acceleration.

10. Compression Issues:

The vacuum lines in the engine are responsible for the transportation of air and fuel. These vacuum lines allow the engine to take air and release exhaust gases. If these lines or compressors are clogged or faulty, the car will not accelerate.

11. Faulty Catalytic Converter:

A catalytic converter ensures that the exhaust gases exit the engine. A faulty catalytic converter causes trapped gases in the engine creating a lot of pressure in the engine. It may even cause a fire. A hot engine loses power resulting and can result in accelerator problems.

12. Limp Mode:

If the ECU in your car senses a malfunction, it activates limp mode with check engine lights. It is a security feature that reduces the speed of your car. To find out what triggered this mode, Take your car to a mechanic.

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The Quick Fix

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Acceleration problems do not always mean a serious issue. Sometimes there are basic issues which you can fix yourself like-

1. If your car slows down on uphill driving, it may be because of high altitudes as air density is low and oxygen is also reduced in the air. This causes reduced power in the car. Clean air filters and fuel injectors will reduce the strain on your car.

2. An engaged emergency brake causes the brake to drag slowing down your car. Disengage the brake to solve this issue.

3. Sometimes acceleration problems are just because of low fuel or poor quality of fuel. So

keep your car’s tank full with good quality fuel to overcome this issue.

Conclusion

Get your car inspected immediately if you are facing any car acceleration issues, to find out the root cause. Get it repaired to ensure safety. Hire a mechanic for proper repairs and do not try to fix it yourself. Always include car insurance add-on covers with your policy to guarantee any repair costs. Opting for at least third party car insurance, will ensure that you do not pay any fines for driving without a licence.

FAQs

1. What is an ODB2 port?

Almost all modern vehicles contain the ODB2 port or OnBoard Diagnostics. It is a port, to which a device can be connected to retrieve data from the onboard computer of the car.

2. When should I replace my battery?

The ideal time to replace a battery is anywhere between 3-5 years unless there is any sort of malfunctioning before that. It is always a good idea to have your battery performance checked during servicing and it costs nominally as well.

3. What is the role of air filter in the car?

It is a simple filtration device, that removes any contaminations and ensures that only pure

air reaches your car’s engine.

4. How can I diagnose acceleration issues in my car?

Having access to the right tools and a little bit of experience is one of the safest ways to diagnose any issue on your car. It is recommended to take your car to an authorised service centre for any such issues.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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