An idle air control valve regulates the idle speed of the engine. It decreases or increases the speed as per the requirement to ensure smooth engine performance. The idle air control valve function is interrupted, when the solenoid inside it goes bad. Consequently, this component ultimately fails and yields other major problems in the vehicle. In some cases, the car won’t start.
Motorists need to pay attention to the symptoms of a bad idle air control valve, in order to take proactive measures and avoid expensive repairs. Read on to get to know the common symptoms of a failing idle air control valve.
SYMPTOMS OF A BAD IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE
Here detailed are signs of a failing idle air control valve that indicates your vehicle needs to be checked:
FLUCTUATING IDLE SPEED
A bad idle air control valve primarily affects the engine’s idle speed. This is the most common and prominent symptom. When you notice that the idle speed is not constant at a particular speed level and fluctuates randomly, then there is a problem with the idle air control valve. Motorists can easily see the idle speed increasing or decreasing at different intervals on the tachometer.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON
An illuminated check engine light notifies drivers of the failing idle air control valve. When the engine control module (ECM) detects a problem with the signal or circuit of this component, it turns on the check engine light. However, the check engine light comes on due to several other problems in the vehicle. Therefore, before you reset the check engine light, it’s better to get your car checked by a professional technician to identify the actual issue and then go for the solution, accordingly.
ENGINE STALLING
Engine stalling also indicates that there is a bad idle air control valve. If the idle air control valve stops functioning completely then a car shakes when starting then dies. Given there is no source of air in the car that could aid in maintaining appropriate idle, the engine sometimes may not idle at all and stall when started.
ROUGH ENGINE IDLE
If you notice that your car is vibrating too much when parked with the engine on, then this is due to rough idling. A rough engine idling indicates that there is a bad idle air control valve. Since the engine is not receiving an appropriate amount of air when idle, the vehicle will shake intensely.
ENGINE STALLING DUE TO LOAD
If you are driving with a bad idle air control valve and AC turned on, then there is a probability that the engine will stall. Switching on the AC adds an extra load on the engine that already has a failed idle air control valve. This not only causes the engine to stall but even drags the steering wheel on one side, forcefully.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE IS BAD?
There is one simple way to identify that your vehicle has a bad idle air control valve. With the help of a voltmeter, you can determine that there is a need to replace the voltmeter or not.
TOOLS REQUIRED
Before you proceed, you need to buy automotive tools that are necessary for checking the idle air control valve:
- Voltmeter
- Screwdriver
- Socket wrench
- 10mm socket
Here is what you need to test the idle air control valve:
- Open the hood and you will find the valve behind the engine
- With the help of the screwdriver unscrew the valve from the throttle body
- Squeeze the release tab and unplug the electrical plug of the idle air control valve
- Flip the valve so that you can see its openings
- Set the voltmeter to “Ohms”
- Put one lead of the voltmeter at one end of the control valve’s terminal and do the same for another end.
- If the readings are not between 0.00 and 0.05 then your vehicle has a bad air control valve and needs to be replaced.
Now you know the symptoms of a failing idle air control valve. Thus, if you come across all or any of the above-discussed symptoms of a faulty idle air control valve, then don’t delay taking your car to an auto service centre at the earliest. One of the prime reasons for a failing idle air control valve is not cleaning it regularly. A dirty valve hinders the engine idling process and makes idle speed management difficult. Therefore, make sure you keep the idle air control valve clean to keep the engine from rough idling.
Besides, if you are buying a used car in the UAE, look out for these symptoms and ensure that the idle air control valve is in proper working condition.
Stay tuned to UAE’ top auto blog for more engine parts repair guide and vehicle maintenance tips.
Related Posts
