Owning a high-end and high-performance car such as an Audi comes with amazing driving experiences, incredible horsepower, and more. However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t a handful of drawbacks you’ll need to account for as well. In the case of Audi, one of the problems most commonly experienced is engine misfires. Misfires can be worrying for drivers and can also pose a real threat to engine health. Therefore, it is essential that you try to prevent misfires from occurring, and when they do occur, decide to deal with them quickly. Let’s look at ways to recognize Audi engine misfires and discuss what to do about them.
Dissecting an Engine Misfire
Your Audi’s engine is a fine-tuned machine of various parts and systems that all need to work in a precise order in order to achieve ignition. For example, there are processes such as power delivery which helps ensure you have drive, combustion which gives the energy for drive, and so on. When one of these important steps are skipped, the cycle is interrupted, causing engine misfires. A misfire may not be bad enough to cause your vehicle to fail to start. Instead, you might only notice minor misfires when driving, such as jerks, shakes, and rough idling.
Misfires can occur for many reasons such as lean misfire, where the air and fuel ratio is incorrect. Ignition misfire occurs when the fuel isn’t ignited. Last, mechanical misfires involve issues with any of the engine’s mechanical parts. Audi is known to experience all three of these types of misfire.
Common Causes of a Misfiring Audi
1. Pushing your Audi to the Limit
While one of the pleasures of a high-performance sports car is the extra horsepower you can access, pushing your car to its limits for that rush of speed. However, asking too much of your engine for too long or too often can really impact its overall health. If you want your Audi to have a long lifespan, we recommend easing off the need for a quick launch.
2. Failing Spark Plugs
Spark plugs work very hard to ensure you engine performs well. Because of this, depending on the type of plug used in your Audi, their lifespan can range between 30,000-50,000 miles for standard plugs or 80,000-100,000 for precious metal tipped plugs. Spark plugs that go past this lifespan or that become faulty or damaged will work less effectively than fresh or newly-serviced plugs. Replacing spark plugs at home is possible, but does take a little know-how. To do this, you first need to locate your Audi’s spark plugs and assess their overall condition. If there is contamination on the plugs or the metal is worn down, then you should seek replacement. You can do this at home with a how-to guide, or for complete peace of mind, bring your Audi into a specialist shop where they can also inspect your overall system and diagnose any issues before them become problems.
3. Failed Spark Plug Wires
To provide power to the plugs, spark plug wires need to be in perfect condition. When they become aged, they can be a prime culprit for misfires and will need replacing. This can be done at home if you feel confident in your ability to do so. If not, your trusted local Audi specialist will be happy to help you quickly and efficiently.
4. Fuel Injector Failure
You engine needs to have fuel delivered into the combustion chamber at the precise spray pressure and pattern. To do this, it relies on fuel injectors. However, given time and use, the injector nozzles can become clogged with debris, affecting their performance. The hose they are connected to can also become damaged, leading to vacuum leaks. These leaks can contribute to catastrophic engine failure if left unchecked. To prevent this, you should have your fuel injectors checked and serviced by an experienced professional who can alert you when it is time to replace any of the parts of the fuel injection system to help preserve your Audi’s overall engine health.
Turning Wrenches Will Help
Turning Wrenches of Louisville, KY are on hand to help you with your misfiring Audi. We are your local Audi experts who know your model of car inside out. We will get to the root of your problem and resolve it for you lightning fast to get you back on the road safely without dealership costs. Call us today for an appointment.