What are the effects of a dirty car throttle on the vehicle?
2 Answers
The effects of a dirty car throttle on the vehicle: 1. Difficulty starting or failure to start; 2. Abnormal idle conditions, such as unstable idle speed or fluctuating idle (too high or too low); 3. Weak acceleration or inability to speed up, such as throttle sticking; 4. Failure to meet emission standards; 5. Abnormalities like jerking or surging; 6. Obstruction when accelerating, such as throttle body sticking or idle valve flipping obstruction. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the throttle regularly. When cleaning the throttle, it does not need to be disassembled, but the intake sealing parts must be thoroughly cleaned. The idle motor must be removed to be cleaned properly. It is important to note that after cleaning the throttle, the throttle opening must be reset. Otherwise, the car's computer will still remember the opening when there was carbon buildup, and if not reset, the engine may experience unstable idle speed or excessively high RPM.
When the throttle body gets dirty, the car will feel off. At idle, the RPM becomes unstable, and the car may shake slightly, as if trembling. During acceleration, the throttle response is sluggish—stepping on the pedal feels weak, especially noticeable when overtaking. Fuel consumption also increases because the engine has to inject more fuel to compensate for restricted airflow. Cold starts may become difficult, requiring multiple attempts. The main cause is oil residue and dust clogging the throttle plate, blocking the air passage. Regular cleaning of the throttle body can solve the issue—it's generally effective to inspect it every 20,000 kilometers. If ignored, prolonged neglect can increase engine strain. It's advisable to address it early to prevent minor issues from turning into major problems.
