A car’s speed usually increases as more force is applied to the accelerator. Drivers tend to be aware of how much force they need to apply to increase the speed up to their desired level. Sometimes, however, a car might feel sluggish when accelerating due to some underlying conditions. This might mean the car is experiencing trouble with emissions or its fuel system.
If your car is not accelerating as it should, it might put you in harm’s way upon overtaking, at intersections, or when going up a hill. That is why a car not accelerating properly must be immediately repaired.
Common causes of why a car feels sluggish when accelerating include dirty mass air flow sensor (MAF), faulty spark plugs, defective throttle position sensor, clogged catalytic converter, faulty oxygen sensor, clogged air filter, and fuel system malfunctioning.
1. Clogged Air Filters
Clogged air filters are the most common cause of why a car feels sluggish when accelerating as less air is passed through them. This impacts the performance of a car’s engine as dirty air filters increase fuel consumption. In the worst scenario, if the air filters are extremely clogged then it can also stall the engine.
Replacing a car air filter is an easy task and does not require any special skills. So this is the first thing to check when your car is not accelerating properly.
2. Dirty or Bad Mass Air Flow Sensor
Mass air flow sensor, aka MAF sensor, is a key component of a fuel injection system. It is located between the air filter box and the throttle valve. MAF ensures that the right amount of fuel and air is mixed in the engine’s internal combustion chamber.
A MAF can get dirty or defective by wearing out over time. A bad mass air flow sensor can send incorrect data to the car’s internal system, therefore, the optimal amount of fuel entering the combustion system gets miscalculated.
Nonetheless, a dirty MAF can be cleaned with a sensor-specific cleaner, whereas, the defective one should get replaced immediately.
3. Faulty Oxygen Sensor
There are various types of oxygen sensors with a common function to regulate the air to fuel ratio by determining the amount of oxygen. If the sensor gets damaged, the engine is unable to maintain a healthy fuel and air ratio. This is another reason why a car feels sluggish when accelerating or the driver experiences irregular idling or complete loss of power.
Moreover, poor acceleration may also be experienced if the oxygen sensor is dirty. In such cases, cleaning the car’s oxygen sensor can resolve the problem.
4. Bad Spark Plugs
Spark plugs in a car create the ignition required to start the engine. A bad spark plug can result in noticeable performance loss and higher fuel consumption. Car misfiring and poor acceleration may also be observed due to faulty spark plugs. Since driving with faulty spark plugs can have dire consequences, therefore, it should be dealt with on priority.
5. Clogged Catalytic Converter
A catalytic converter, as the name suggests, converts toxic gases into less harmful ones by using catalysts. Therefore, it plays an important role in a car’s exhaust system equipped with an internal combustion engine.
In case the catalytic converter chokes or fails, your car will emit hazardous gases with black smoke. A choked catalytic converter is one of the common signs of why a car does not accelerate when pressing fuel.
6. Defective Throttle Position Sensor
The throttle position sensor (TPS) monitors the amount of fuel a car engine gets. It does so by detecting the angle of the throttle valve opening and sending the response to the car’s control unit. A bad throttle position sensor is often a factor behind car acceleration problems. The car’s speed cannot be controlled by the accelerator in case the TPS malfunctions.
6. Fuel System Malfunctioning
The car engine requires fuel for the combustion process. But when the fuel system malfunctions, inadequate fuel is provided to the engine resulting in car acceleration problems. The fuel delivery method may starve the car engine of fuel due to several factors. These factors include:
– Dirty Fuel Filter
Fuel filters prevent debris and other contaminants from entering the car’s combustion chamber. A bad fuel filter will not allow fuel to enter the engine properly which is why a car rumbles when accelerating.
– Faulty Fuel Injector
Fuel injectors regulate the amount of fuel that enters the combustion chamber, through fuel lines. Bad fuel injectors are the ones that get clogged over time by fuel contaminants hindering fuel delivery.
– Defective Fuel Pump
The fuel pump pulls the fuel from the gas tank through the fuel lines to the engine. A bad fuel pump is unable to supply fuel to the injectors resulting in car acceleration problems and in severe cases, stalling can be observed.
Poor acceleration when detected must be inspected and resolved immediately. Upon detection of even the slightest bit of trouble that can be as simple as replacing a clogged air filter, one should get the task done on priority.
It is always recommended to seek out the help of a trusted and professional technician for a complete car inspection and keep yourself ahead of the car maintenance schedule. Moreover, if you are looking for modern cars with high tech features, you can check out these used cars for sale in the UAE.
Stay tuned to the UAE’s leading auto blogs for more information on common car issues and their solutions.
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