
When the car throttle becomes dirty, it will cause unstable idle speed, reduced power, and difficulty in starting. Unstable idle speed: The dirty throttle of the car leads to changes in the power of individual cylinders, resulting in an imbalance in the power of each cylinder, causing the car to have unstable idle speed. At this time, it is necessary to clean or replace the throttle in time. Reduced power: A dirty throttle will directly affect the accuracy and smoothness of the engine's air intake. The amount of air entering the combustion chamber is greatly reduced, the combustible mixture in the engine becomes too rich, and the ignition energy decreases, leading to reduced car power. At this time, it is necessary to clean or replace the throttle in time. Difficulty in starting: A dirty throttle may cause errors in the throttle opening, allowing air with impurities to enter the engine combustion chamber, making it difficult to start the car. It is necessary to clean or replace the throttle in time.

Last time my car's throttle body was dirty, the symptoms were very noticeable. At idle, the dashboard shook violently with unstable RPM, and sometimes there would be hesitation when pressing the accelerator—delayed response and painfully slow acceleration. The most annoying part was the frequent difficulty during cold starts, requiring multiple attempts to ignite. During long-distance driving, fuel consumption soared, costing significantly more in gas, and the engine warning light even came on. Diagnostics revealed carbon buildup in the throttle body blocking the air intake, but everything returned to normal after cleaning. Since I often drive in congested urban areas prone to carbon buildup, I've developed a habit of checking every 20,000 kilometers to keep the intake tract clean, avoiding performance and safety issues.

As someone who enjoys studying cars, I've researched the symptoms of a dirty throttle body: severe idle shaking, sluggish throttle response, lack of power during acceleration, difficulty starting, and unexplained increase in fuel consumption. The root cause is carbon buildup blocking the throttle plate, which affects the air flow sensor data and leads to chaotic fuel injection control by the ECU. I recommend regular inspections, especially for vehicles frequently driven on short trips as they're more prone to this issue. Cleaning the throttle body isn't difficult, but don't attempt DIY fixes—have a professional shop handle it with proper cleaning agents to avoid damaging electronic components. Proper maintenance can prevent these problems.

As a new driver, I recently encountered a dirty throttle issue with quite alarming symptoms: the car often required multiple attempts to start, the engine sound fluctuated noticeably at idle, there was severe shaking, acceleration was jerky and unsteady during takeoff, and fuel consumption was higher than usual. I promptly sent it for inspection, and the diagnosis was excessive carbon buildup in the throttle requiring cleaning. My advice to fellow beginners: don't delay addressing such issues—get them fixed promptly to ensure driving safety and avoid roadside breakdowns.


