What are the symptoms of a faulty turbocharger?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a faulty turbocharger are: 1. Blue smoke from the exhaust at idle, varying in intensity; 2. Blue smoke from the exhaust both at idle and while driving, worsening when accelerating, with significant oil consumption; 3. Heavy blue smoke from the vehicle, abnormal noise from the turbo end of the turbocharger, and oil leakage from the turbo end; 4. A fluttering abnormal noise when accelerating or decelerating. The turbocharger mainly consists of a turbine and a compressor, connected by a drive shaft. The turbine's intake is connected to the engine's exhaust manifold, and the exhaust port is connected to the exhaust pipe; the compressor's intake is connected to the intake pipe, and the exhaust port is connected to the intake manifold.
I remember when the turbocharger in my car failed, the symptoms were too obvious. The acceleration was completely weak, as if someone was pulling from behind, making it extremely difficult to drive. Every time I stepped on the gas, you could hear a sharp whistling or squealing noise, especially louder at high speeds, as if the turbo blades were stuck or there was a sealing issue. The exhaust pipe would also emit blue or white smoke. At first, I thought it was a minor issue, but then I found out that engine oil was leaking into the combustion chamber. Fuel consumption also skyrocketed, which was a real pain for my wallet because the engine had to compensate hard. The turbo lag was severe too—there was a long delay after pressing the accelerator, making driving really frustrating. I later learned that ignoring it could lead to even greater engine damage, so if you notice these symptoms, it's best not to drive for too long and just take it straight to the shop for inspection.
