Have you recently been driving your vehicle and noticed that as you speed up, you begin to lose more power than gaining? It is sometimes caused by a lack of fuel in your car.
However, it could also be caused by some other mechanical issues. So, it is better to understand why this is happening to your vehicle. Find out more in this article!
Why Is My Car Losing Power?
1. Your Vehicle’s Spark Plugs Are Starting To Fail
The spark plugs in your vehicle’s internal combustion engine transmit the electrical impulses from the ignition coils to your vehicle’s inner combustion chamber.
After that, an electric spark ignites the fuel-air mixture.
As a result, if you have malfunctioning spark plugs that cannot transmit the electrical impulses, the engine’s efficiency will suffer, and you cannot speed up as quickly.
After that, it will finally come to a halt and not accelerate at all.
2. You Have A Faulty Fuel Pump
The fuel pump transports fuel from the gas tank to your vehicle’s engine for combustion.
Further, the fuel pump also controls the pressure of the fuel while it is transmitted to satisfy the engine’s needs.
Therefore, a faulty fuel pump may result in an inconsistency in the transfer of fuel. As a result, the performance of the engine will suffer.
3. Fuel Injectors Are Malfunctioning
The fuel injectors in your car engine are critical components of a fuel system. That said, the fuel injector is in charge of spraying the fuel carried in by the fuel pump with each cylinder.
If your vehicle’s fuel injector fails or becomes clogged, it cannot sufficiently spray fuel in with the engine. As a result, the engine would be unable to generate sufficient strength to advance.
However, you can often clear clogged injectors by running a fuel injector cleaner across your system, but in some cases, replacement is required.
4. The Compression Has Low Level
The internal combustion method relies on powerful cylinder compression for the vehicle to accelerate.
So, if the engine has a poor compression level due to faulty seals or another issue, it will produce a low power level.
5. A Clogged Exhaust System
Your vehicle’s exhaust system contains the muffler and catalytic converter filters.
That said, the catalytic converter helps to reduce pollution caused by exhaust fumes. In addition, the muffler decreases the volume of noise produced.
So, when one of these filters or the exhaust system becomes clogged, it would adversely impact the engine and end up causing the power it produces to be whittled down.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to use an excellent catalytic converter cleaner before fixing a clogged or filthy converter.
6. The Air Filter Is Already Clogging
When your vehicle’s internal combustion chamber combines air and fuel to generate power, the air is filtered before entering the chamber.
This filter keeps debris and insects out of the chamber.
However, not enough air will enter the engine for proper combustion if you have a clogged or polluted air filter. As a result, your vehicle will lose power.
7. The Ignition Coil Malfunctions
Your vehicle’s ignition system contains ignition coils that convert the 12 volts from your battery into the 20,000 volts required to start the engine.
Therefore, if you have a faulty ignition coil, it will not ignite the combination of the air and fuel inside your engine. As a result, you’d lose power if you press your gas pedal with your foot.
8. Your Engine Is Knocking
Uncontrolled fuel ignition within the combustion chamber is called engine knock or “pinging.”
In addition, engines are precisely timed to maximize efficiency and power. So, if the fuel is combusted before it should, the piston in the cylinder may not be in the proper position.
Therefore, it could result in power loss and even severe engine damage.
9. You Have A Clogged Catalytic Converter
The catalytic converter cleans exhaust gases by converting harmful gases like carbon monoxide and NOx into less toxic molecules.
With that, a constraint in the catalytic converter may prevent exhaust gases from appropriately exiting.
Also, it may even start a fire in extreme situations, so you must resolve the problem quickly.
10. There Is A Malfunctioning Oxygen Sensor
The oxygen sensor is located within the engine of your vehicle and measures the oxygen levels in the exhaust stream.
Further, this data is sent to an electronically controlled module, which uses it to calculate the air-to-fuel percentage.
Additionally, the oxygen sensor aids in emission control. If the oxygen sensor fails, it will be unable to send an accurate signal to the control module.
As a result, it would degrade engine performance and negatively affect the environment.
11. The Malfunctioning Camshaft Position Sensor
The camshaft position sensor is among the most critical components of an internal combustion engine.
That said, it sends relevant data about the vehicle’s speed to your vehicle’s ECM or electronic control module.
Further, the ECM is a computer in many cars today and controls ignition and fuel injection timing.
Therefore, if the sensor fails, the engine will not be able to perform appropriately, and engine efficiency will suffer greatly.
To know more, you can also read our posts on why your speedometer is not working, why your transmission fluid is brown, and why your gas mileage is going down.
Conclusion
With the reasons provided in this post, you now understand why your car is losing power while driving.
So, possible reasons include mechanical problems, malfunctioning sensors, and faulty actuators.
Also, do not delay any repair or replacement of your car components to avoid further damage.
However, if you are still in doubt, you can always bring your vehicle to your trusted mechanic, and they’ll help you identify why your car is losing power.