What are the symptoms of a faulty turbocharger?
2 Answers
Symptoms of a faulty turbocharger: blue or white smoke from the exhaust pipe, decreased power, increased oil consumption, unstable turbo pressure, abnormal noises, high water temperature, unstable engine speed, and ineffective turbocharging. A turbocharger is essentially an air compressor that increases air intake by compressing air. Precautions for turbochargers: 1. Do not drive off immediately after starting the engine; 2. Do not turn off the engine immediately after prolonged operation; 3. Maintain cleanliness when disassembling the turbocharger. A turbocharger is essentially an air compressor that increases air intake by compressing air, using the inertial force of exhaust gases from the engine to drive the turbine in the turbine chamber, which in turn drives the coaxial impeller. The impeller compresses the air delivered through the air filter pipe, pressurizing it before it enters the cylinders.
A while ago, while driving my car, the turbocharger malfunctioned. I clearly felt a lack of power during acceleration, as if struggling even on inclines, and the engine wasn’t running as smoothly as before. At idle, I could also hear strange noises, like a hissing sound from a leak or metal scraping, which was quite annoying. Fuel consumption also increased significantly—originally, a full tank could cover 500 kilometers, but now the low-fuel warning light comes on at just 420 kilometers, accompanied by some black smoke. I realized this had a major impact on daily driving, especially increasing safety risks during highway overtaking. Later, I promptly took it to a repair shop, where they diagnosed an oil leak due to aging seals. If left unrepaired, it could even damage the engine, with repair costs potentially exceeding thousands. So, I advise car owners not to delay and to address these symptoms immediately once noticed.
