Exhaust Shop Near Me

What Does an Exhaust System Do?

The exhaust system in your vehicle is responsible for handling the gasses emitted by your engine during routine operation. Your car is powered by an engine that runs on incredibly hot, fiery explosions, and the byproducts of that process include some harmful gasses and toxins, such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. The exhaust system takes those gasses from your engine, runs them through a catalytic converter that turns them into less harmful things like carbon dioxide and water vapor, and then releases them out through the exhaust tips at the rear of your vehicle. While carbon dioxide is not great, it is better than the raw gasses produced by an engine, plus the muffler on your exhaust system helps reduce the noise from your vehicle’s engine.

The Importance of a Functional Exhaust System

When your exhaust system is functioning properly, it keeps the gasses your engine emits from entering the cabin of your vehicle. Without a proper exhaust, the carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and other fumes would be free to blow into your cabin, and that would be very hazardous for you and your passengers. In addition, the muffler on your exhaust system keeps your engine sounding good––without it, you would hear the explosions from your engine much louder. Some mufflers not only dampen the noise but actually tune it to sound more appealing. Sports cars and muscle cars do not simply roar with the raw noise of your engine; they have mufflers that make them sound even more powerful and pleasing.

In addition to these benefits, your exhaust system is also responsible for ensuring your engine runs properly. Two very important things are needed for your engine to function: gas from the fuel tank and oxygen, both of which are mixed together in a precise amount and injected into the engine to create the explosions that generate power. Oxygen sensors throughout the exhaust system monitor how much oxygen is present in order to make on-the-fly adjustments to the fuel/air mix and keep your vehicle running beautifully. Failures or problems with your exhaust system can be harmful, reduce your fuel efficiency, and make your car run rougher than it should.

Common Exhaust Issues

There are a number of things that can potentially go wrong with your exhaust system, just like any other part of your vehicle. Fortunately, some are more common than others, which include:

• Rust – One of the most common problems that can hit the exhaust system is rust, even though these systems are often made using components designed to be rust-resistant. Water vapor can build up inside the exhaust system, and parts on the underside of your vehicle are exposed to water, snow, slush, and salt from roads. All of this can cause rust and corrosion that damages parts of your exhaust.
• Faulty Oxygen Sensors – Your vehicle has several oxygen sensors to monitor the air intake and exhaust from your engine. If any of these sensors do not work properly, then your engine will not run as efficiently as it should. This is usually a pretty easy fix, but you want to make sure there are not any other issues too.
• Exhaust Leaks – Damage to hoses, pipes, connectors, and other parts of your exhaust system can result in a leak. At the minimum, this creates excess pollution and can cause you to fail an emissions check; at worst, this can result in dangerous gasses leaking into the cabin of your vehicle.
• Vibrations – Problems with your exhaust system can result in the gasses from your engine not running through it properly, creating vibrations. Since the exhaust runs from one end of your vehicle to the other, these vibrations can be very annoying and even potentially distracting or dangerous on the road. This often indicates some other problem that needs to be fixed, so it is important to have repairs done right away.
• Loud Engine – Issues with your muffler can result in your engine sounding much louder than it should. Not only is this annoying for neighbors and others on the road, but it can also violate local laws in some areas and result in a ticket. It is always better to have a problem fixed before it becomes worse.
• Smoke – Any kind of smoke coming out of your exhaust is bad––steam on cold days is normal, but smoke is a sign of a major problem. Blue smoke often means oil is burning somewhere, while black smoke tends to indicate gas is burning. No matter what color smoke is coming from your exhaust, you need to have it fixed right away.

The exact nature of these problems, and the specific steps necessary to fix them, can vary quite a lot from one situation to another. That is why you need a certified expert to help you with any issues that come up with your exhaust. Catching a problem sooner rather than later can save you money, reduce how long it takes to get repairs done, and have you back on the road quickly with a vehicle you know you can rely on.

Service and Repairs You Can Count On

You deserve to have any issues with your exhaust system fixed by someone you know will work on your vehicle with all the care that they would show their own car. Here at Thomas Nissan of Joliet, our certified service experts are trained to work on a wide range of cars, trucks, and SUVs, not only Nissan models, so we can help you with anything you need. Exhaust system issues can make your daily drive a lot less enjoyable, plus they can be potentially dangerous and costly if left unfixed. We offer convenient service hours, with free Wi-Fi, coffee, and cable TV so that you can remain comfortable while we get the work done as quickly as possible. We also offer roadside towing services and loaner vehicles because we know you cannot always predict when disaster will strike or let it interrupt your life.

Come Visit Thomas Nissan of Joliet Today