Sputtering under the Hood Sounds Like Engine Repair
The sounds your car makes says a lot about its overall power and performance capabilities. A humming, purring sound coming from the engine says the vehicle and its engine components are in good health. However, a sputtering sound coming from under the hood could signal problems that shouldn’t be overlooked. Engine repair for your BMW, Audi, Mercedes, or Volkswagen will only get more costly the longer it is delayed. Unfortunately, problems associated with a sputtering engine rarely go away or get better on their own.
What Causes the Engine to Sputter?
The gasping sound a struggling engine makes could be caused by many different problems. Most times, an experienced mechanic will have to run a diagnosis on the vehicle to determine the root cause of the issue. That being said, here’s a few possibilities that could be causing the engine to sputter.
If you are trying to see how far you can drive your vehicle when it is on E before it stalls out, an ill-advised but not uncommon undertaking, there’s a good chance the car will start sputtering before it stalls out. In this situation, the root of the problem is obvious: you need to refill the tank. It does, however, point to the root of many common engine stuttering problems, which is the fuel system.
Engine Grunting Can Mean Fuel System Problems
That’s right, low fuel levels, whether caused by leaks in the fuel system or simply not enough gas in the tank, will cause the engine to splutter. The fuel system contains injectors that shoot the proper amount of fuel onto the engine’s cylinders. When these injector sprays themselves become clogged, worn down or somehow broken, the cylinders won’t get the right about of fuel they need, and the engine will sputter along because now it has to work harder to do the same thing.
Repairing or replacing fuel injectors for a BMW, Audi or Mercedes Benz will run you about $1200 – $1500 more or less. The good news is that you can save a few hundred bucks if the injector nozzle or spout is merely clogged or dirty rather than torn and needing to be replaced entirely.
The Exhaust System Troubles Often Lead to Engine Repair
Problems with the fuel system aren’t the only things that can cause an engine to stammer and snort. Difficulties with the larger multifaceted exhaust system can also cause a range of issues related to a sputtering engine in need of care and attention.
The exhaust system of your vehicle ensures that noxious chemicals and toxins emitted by the engine exit the vehicle in a relatively safe manner. For instance, a leak or a worn out seal or gasket in any component in the exhaust system will likely cause the engine to sputter.
You will also notice strong burning smells coming from beneath the vehicle if your vehicle has a leak in one of the exhaust system’s gaskets. A leak along the larger exhaust system means that its capabilities has been compromised.
As such, it is no longer able to do its job and safely release toxic fumes in an efficient manner. More than causing your engine to sputter, you and your passengers could be breathing in toxic fumes if you do not get the problem fixed soon.
Is Your Catalytic Converter Converting Toxic Gases to Inactive Ones?
Also along these lines, problems with your catalytic converter will also cause the engine to pant and sputter. The catalytic converter is responsible for converting harmful gases (carbon monoxide and hydrogen monoxide) into inactive gases.
Your dashboard Check Engine Light should illuminate if there are problems with the catalytic converter. (A catalytic converter in good working condition allows your vehicle to pass smog emissions’ inspections.) Again, getting this problem fixed right away is strongly advised. Repairing or replacing catalytic converter for a BMW, Audi or Mercedes Benz will run you about $2500 more or less.
Spark Plug Misfiring Causes the Engine to Stammer, Gasp
Another culprit for a sputtering engine is worn out spark plugs. Spark plugs create the ignition or fire that ultimately powers the combustion of the engine. It receives a spark from the coil to ignite the proper air/fuel mixture. An improper mixture will cause a misfire, which will cause the engine to sputter. All spark plugs need to be replaced from time to time though less frequently than they used to. Such an auto repair for BMWs, Audis or Mercedes Benz will run you about $150.
So the next time your vehicle’s engine stammers or sputters instead of hums and whirs the way it is supposed to, don’t delay in getting a proper diagnosis and auto repair. The longer you put it off the more expensive the engine repair is likely to be.
