Every car owner may experience one of the most common engine problems that this article unveils at one point or the other such as start failure or overheating. Therefore, if your car becomes a victim of any engine problems discussed below, sufficient information has been provided to help you understand them.
Have you been stranded because your car keeps stalling as you drive and eventually goes off, then the engine refuses to start?
One of the most challenging problems you can ever encounter as a car owner is an engine problem. This is because you may be able to manage the problems that emanate from other components of your car and still drive it around, but it is not so with most engine problems.
The core problems that most likely affect many vehicles are not farfetched from the ones outlined and discussed below. Take a moment as you go through some of these common engine problems in cars.
Most Common Engine Problems
Sometimes while driving your vehicle, you may encounter one or more of the challenges associated with your car’s engine due to overuse or other unforeseeable circumstance.
Nevertheless, don’t panic if you have challenged your car’s engine in one of the following ways. Observe the situation and take action to put things back in order.
#1. Engine Is Misfiring.
A misfiring engine is typically the result of worn spark plugs; although it may also be the engine control module. Spark plugs should be replaced between 30,000 and 100,000 miles, depending on the vehicle manufacturers specifications.
Identifying an engine misfire early could save you time and expensive repairs. Rough engine idle or shaking when stopped is one of the first signs to be aware of.
You could also experience decreased power when accelerating, and your vehicle will feel sluggish or slow to respond. If you check your engine light, and it lights up your dashboard, it could indicate a misfire that the engine board computer picked up.
Driving you may notice hesitation or a jerking feeling, especially when pushing the gas pedal. You may have even heard noises from the engine while running such as popping or sputtering which is important not to ignore.
An engine misfire also causes more fuel consumption and gives you less gas mileage which means you may be at the gas station more often. In some instances, you could fail an emissions test or you could see odd exhaust smoke coming from your tailpipe.
These symptoms could be signs of engine issues with the spark plug, fuel injector, valve, or cylinder. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms your engine could be misfiring and should be inspected by a certified professional technician as soon as possible.
#2. Dirty Engine Coolant.
If you’ve driven more than 100,000 miles or have a five-year-old car and have never replaced your radiator coolant, you probably have dirty radiator coolant. The sediment in the dirty coolant will block your radiator and cause you car to overheat.
#3. Leaking Cooling System Parts.
Another reason your car will overheat is leaking coolant. If coolant leaks out of the radiator, the radiator hoses, gaskets, seals, overflow reservoir, water pump, or any other cooling system component, the level will get too low for the coolant to work properly.
Spotting a leak in the coolant system can prevent costly repairs. Look out for the following:
- Low Coolant Level: Frequent refills is a good indicator of a problem.
- Overheating Engine: This can happen due to a leak, and would usually mean a defective cooling system.
- Puddles or Stains: A bright green, orange or pink puddle below your car means you could have coolant leak.
- Sweet Smell: A sweet (coolant) smell near or in the cabin may indicate there is a coolant leak.
- White Exhaust: This could be an internal leak where coolant is getting through to the combustion chamber.
- Dash Light: If you see the coolant temperature warning or low coolant light illuminated on the dashboard you may be leaking coolant.
- Steam: If you see steam while driving or idling (especially from the hood) this is a good sign the engine may have overheated and the leak may have occurred as a result.
#4. Worn Combustion Parts.
If your combustion system has a leak, for example, a hole in the cylinders, you will lose compression, or power. Additionally, piston rings or valves that are worn out may also cause lost compression. You will feel the lost compression in the performance of your vehicle.
#5. Malfunctioning Oxygen Sensor.
Oxygen sensors do not require regular maintenance or replacement like brake pads and oil. Typically, an oxygen sensor can last anywhere between 30,000 and 100,000 miles, and they should only be replaced once they are broken.
Oxygen (O2) sensor failures can cause performance issues, which could include things like a rough idle, poor fuel economy, or an overall lack of power or acceleration.
Other signs that an O2 sensor is failing include illumination of the “Check engine” light, visible increase in vehicle emissions, or a strong “rotten egg” smell from the tailpipe.
An O2 sensor failure can be confirmed by connecting an OBD-II scan tool to the vehicle, with codes confirmed that indicate an O2 sensor failure.
#6. Excess Combustion Pressure.
Excessive heat and pressure in the combustion chamber can cause engine knock, also known as ‘spark knock’, characterized by sounds of metal banging or pinging
Minor knocking is bad, but not necessarily damaging. A loud knock can indicate a more severe detonation problem.
#7. Motor Oil Buildup.
Your oil and filter should be changed every 3,000 miles because these fluids will cause sludge buildup in your engine over time. Sludge builds up and sticks to engine parts, including intake valves and spark plugs.
#8. Oil Starvation.
There are two reasons for oil starvation: no motor oil, or an oil pump that’s failing. If either of these happens in your engine, the parts are going to wear against each other, and they’ll fail. Oil pump failure happens more often in overhead cam engines.
#9. No Engine Lubrication.
This problem is caused by oil starvation. If your engine’s parts are not lubricated at all, or dirt begins to accumulate because your motor oil is old and oxidized, you will be hurt very quickly. An unlubricated engine seizes because the heat builds up too quickly and the parts fail.
#10. Lean or Rich Air/Fuel Mixture.
To start your car, your engine needs air and fuel in the combustion chamber for the spark plugs to ignite. If the fuel-to-air ratio has too much air it becomes lean and decreases your engines power. If the mix has too much fuel it becomes rich, causing the engine to flood.
#11. Failure for the engine to start.
When a car engine fails to start, it is one of the worst engine problems a car owner is likely to deal with. This problem can be attributed to numerous reasons such as corroded battery cables, clogged fuel filters, starter motor relay failure, faulty fuel pump, a dead battery, and ignition switch failure.
If you are in a situation where your car refuses to start in the morning just when you are about to drive out for work, your business place or anywhere, most likely one of the problems listed above is what has happened to your car. Therefore, instead of deciding to worry about it, call an auto mechanic to fix the issue in question instead.
#12. Overheating.
Overheating is an issue with a car’s cooling system that causes a vehicle’s engine temperature to rise erratically, with no ability to dissipate heat outside of the engine’s compartment. It is one of the most frequently described problems with car engines, particularly in when the weather is hot during summer months. However, this also occurs in winter months on occasion.
Overheating is caused by one or more of the following; low engine coolant level, leaking coolant system, bad engine thermometer, damaged or loose plugs, blocked hoses, blocked radiator, and cracked/blown head gasket.
Though it may not be entirely true that overheating can directly cause a car fire at hazard; but can cause internal liquid to boil, causing internal fluids to over flow to different hot parts of the car causing a potential fire hazard throughout the process.
If the situation is not properly and carefully able to be stabilized it can give of spark to ignite a potential outbreak of a fire. You must make sure you keep your vehicle from overheating at as much as possible.
#13. Lack of coolant.
A common issue cars have is a cooling system problem in their engine. It is advisable to flush the engine coolant after every 3 years or 30,000 miles. Low coolant is usually an indicator of the engine starting to overheat, which is why you should adhere to the recommendations to flush the engine coolant.
Flushing would only cost a few hundred dollars, so you can go with a price ranging from $100 – $200. If you choose to manage driving around without good engine coolant, you would likely be waiting a day while the vehicle experiences permanent engine damage. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
#14. Blocked engine radiator.
Blocked engine radiators also help overheating considering that they are connected to engine issues. The blockage of engine radiator is typically because of either old radiator fluid or a cooling system that has yet to be flushed for quite a while.
A clogged radiator can lead to leakage, internally bad heater, water pump failure, overheating consequence, blown head gasket, and so on.
To unclog the engine radiator you check the radiator and drain out old coolant; then force water through the radiator to flush the particles out; finally, refill the radiator with new coolant fluid, and antifreeze.
#15. Smoke or steam.
Finding your engine steaming or smoking, while driving, is usually demoralizing to experience. Seeing smoke spread into your windshield from your engine compartment is usually caused by something relatively benign like a blown cylinder or a bad cylinder head, worn gaskets, a bad crankcase, using the wrong oil grade, or worn rings.
If you experience this situation, please do not attempt to drive the car anywhere else and continue to work on it while driving it home or where you originally intended to go. Please take the car directly to the nearest mechanic and have the engine checked.
#16. Failing oil pump.
If the oil pump fails, the oil will not pump through its system, which will lead to a shortage of oil delivery to necessary engine components and thus poor lubrication.
Poor lubrication will raise operating temperatures, and you’ll experience lower oil pressure, damaging the engine.
Some easy-to-notice symptoms of a failing oil pump are; oil pump noise, valve-train noise, hydraulic lifters noise, etc.
#17. Oil issue.
Not changing car engine oil regularly, is one of the common causes of car engine failure. The interval that your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends for changing the engine oil can be found in the manufacturer’s manual, and the manufacturer is correct and you should folow as you want your car to last.
It also a problem for your car engine if you neglect the oil change recommendation or do not follow the manufacturer’s specification in choosing the oil.
When you want your car engine to operate efficiently and dependably, it is essential to use the proper oil recommended for your car. I recommend synthetic oil to maintain it’s efficiency. The cost of synthetic oil is about 10 percent more than regular oil, but it is worth it.
#18. Stalling.
If you are in a situation where your car stops suddenly as you drive, and continues to stall after it restarts to continue your trip, your car may have an engine problem.
Do your best to avoid your car stalling as you drive on the road. If you happen to stall on a busy road, this can be cause for further problems such as a serious accident, as it is difficult for other drivers to anticipate that the car ahead would suddenly stall.
Car hesitation, or stalling, while you drive may be caused by the fuel filter, fuel line, or spark plugs. If you are uncertain as to why your vehicle is stalling, make an effort to speak to a trained automobile mechanic.
#19. Water in the engine.
While your car’s roof and coverage permit driving in the sun and in rainy conditions, driving through heavy rainstorms or in high water logs could become potentially harmful to your car’s engine.
If water consistently enters your car’s engine and remains there, it could bend the piston rods and ultimately make your car’s engine bad. Most components of your vehicle will react poorly to water inflow, so you need to make sure to protect those components.
Whenever water enters your car’s combustion chamber through the intake manifold, it is a real problem. Therefore, you want to make sure to protect your car’s engine from water inflow that could potentially damage the engine and leave your car on foot.
#20. Aged spark plugs.
Normally, old spark plugs are the cause if a vehicle will start but won’t run. Worn out spark plugs in a car’s engine due to age can cause a car to have starting trouble. There is a level of spark needed for your vehicle’s engine to start, and worn out spark plugs may not produce enough spark to make your car’s engine start.
Worn out spark plugs can cause incomplete combustion, which will also damage your car’s catalytic converter.
If you have trouble starting the engine, take it into an auto mechanic, who knows how to tell if a spark plug is bad, to help you consider a diagnosis. You would be better off changing your vehicle’s old spark plugs to keep your vehicle running properly.
#21. Engine and transmission mount problem.
An engine mount secures a car’s engine, and typically the transmission and engine are secured to each other with 3 or 4 bolts. The part that hold the engine is called the engine mount and the part that holds the transmission, is called the transmission mount.
Engine mounts are rubber based to eliminate any metal-to-metal contact between the car’s body and the car engine. If the rubber breaks or fluid leaks out of the whatever liquid was used in the mount, it results in an engine transmission mount problem.
An engine transmission mount problem is characterized by chassis flex, excessive vibrations, difficulty in cornering, banging, clunking and bashing sounds, etc.
#22. Noises.
Every part of your car has been designed to signal a clear indication of an impending problem, usually if neglected, will become a problem. Vibrations, clicking, or knocking sounds are common concerning engine problems.
A noise either derives from a faulty timing belt, weak starter, etc. Regardless of the noise, if it is coming from your engine, it is always best to check quickly.
Typically, if not checked, you could discover the problem represented by the noise in a couple of days, after it caused serious damage.
#23. Engine knocking.
Hearing any unusual loud knocking sound from your car’s engine while driving or when the engine is idling, meaning it is not running is just a knocking issue.
Another major reason for engine knocking is the bad air/fuel mixture. An oxygen sensor gets an input on the proper level of air and fuel for a vehicle’s running engine. If this part is faulty, then the ratio of air/fuel mixture is faulty to obtain a proper burn, which further produces a “knocking” sound from the engine.
Attempting to adjust or manage an operation of a car with an engine knocking problem can subsequently cause other components to wear resulting in more damage.
Having identified some common issues with a car’s engine, the frequently asked questions below cover other aspects.