What are the symptoms of a damaged throttle body?
3 Answers
Symptoms of a damaged throttle body include: 1. Unstable engine idle speed, with high idle speed persisting and not decreasing; 2. Difficulty in starting the engine, especially during cold starts; 3. Insufficient power, poor acceleration performance, and unstable operation; 4. Black smoke from the car's exhaust pipe and increased fuel consumption. The method for cleaning the throttle body is: 1. Turn off the ignition switch and remove the negative terminal of the battery; 2. Remove the throttle cable, intake hose, and screws fixing the throttle body in sequence; 3. Clean the throttle body with a cleaning agent, and use a cotton thread to wipe areas that are hard to reach. The throttle body is a controllable valve that regulates the air entering the engine. After entering the intake pipe, the air mixes with gasoline to form a combustible mixture, which then burns to generate power.
A faulty throttle is really annoying, I've experienced it before while driving. The symptoms are quite obvious: the engine often stutters when starting, making it hard to ignite, sometimes requiring several attempts. During driving, there's a noticeable lack of power when accelerating, as if the gas pedal isn't responding, like something is holding it back. The idle speed is also unstable, with RPM fluctuating up and down, and you can feel the vibrations inside the car, especially when stopping at traffic lights—the car shakes badly. Fuel consumption also spikes; a full tank used to last 400 kilometers, but now it's only around 350, which really hurts the wallet. What's even more annoying is the sudden illumination of the engine warning light, making me nervous, so I have to rush to the repair shop to avoid bigger issues.
Throttle issues are quite common, and I've seen many cases. Typical symptoms include excessive idle fluctuation, where the RPM surges up and down like a roller coaster, especially noticeable during cold starts. Poor acceleration is another major issue—stepping on the gas doesn't deliver the expected power, making the car seem like it's struggling to breathe. Sometimes, it's accompanied by difficulty starting, requiring multiple turns of the key. Fuel consumption increases because the engine isn't getting enough air, leading to incomplete combustion. An illuminated check engine light is almost always a clear signal that it's time for inspection. If the car suddenly stalls while driving, it's particularly dangerous and should be addressed immediately to avoid safety hazards.
