Last updated on January 4th, 2024
If you find it difficult to accelerate your car, you may be out of power. There are many reasons why there may be power loss when accelerating. It’s left for you to solve the hitch and continue enjoying your driving experience.
In this article, we’ll be highlighting the different causes of power loss when accelerating, as well as its fixes. Let’s get the ball rolling!
What causes Car Losing Power When Accelerating?
There are different reasons why your car may have no power when accelerating. However, the most common causes include:
Camshaft Position Sensor Malfunction (Diesel and Gas Engine)
The camshaft position sensor gathers information about the camshaft speed of the vehicle. Then, it sends it to the Electronic Control Module (ECM) to control the ignition and fuel injection timing belt.
However, suppose there’s a malfunction with the Camshaft Position Sensor, and it’s unable to send information to the ECM. In that case, the engine’s functionality will be negatively impacted and will likely not function properly.
Clogged Exhaust Pipe (Diesel and Gas Engine)
In an exhaust system, there are 2 filters – the catalyst converter and the muffler. The catalytic converter reduces the amount of pollution the exhaust gas generates, while the muffler reduces the amount of noise the exhaust makes.
When the exhaust pipe or its filters are clogged, it reduces the car’s power when it’s trying to accelerate. Therefore, a clogged exhaust system is not good for the proper functioning of a car.
Clogged Fuel Filter (Diesel and Gas Engine)
The function of the fuel filter is to remove any impurities in the gasoline. By doing so, the impurities will not be there when the fuel pump sends gasoline into the car engine.
Simply put, the fuel filter is a barrier between your car engine and the impurities in the gasoline.
So, if your fuel filter is dirty or clogged, the impurities will sink into the engine and can, over time, cause expensive damage. If that happens, the engine will lose its power, and the vehicle will not function properly.
Bad Air Filter (Diesel and Gas Engines)
The function of the internal combustion chamber of a vehicle engine is to mix air and gasoline to produce the power to run the vehicle.
Before the air enters the chamber, it passes through the air filter, where it is screened for debris and other kinds of impurities to prevent the engine from being damaged.
However, air filters tend to get clogged after prolonged use. Therefore, once an air filter gets clogged, it will restrict the amount of air in the internal combustion chamber.
This limitation will harm the vehicle’s functionality because the engine won’t be able to generate enough power to run the vehicle.
Oxygen Sensor Malfunction (Diesel and Gas Engines)
The oxygen sensor measures the amount of gas that leaves a car’s exhaust. After the oxygen sensor sends the measurement to the Electronic Control Module, the module calculates the air-to-fuel ratio and response time in the car engine.
The oxygen sensor enables the fuel injection system and engine to perform their functions effectively. Also, it provides support with emission control.
But, if there’s an oxygen sensor malfunction, it’ll not send accurate information about the air-to-fuel ratio to the ECM. This malfunction will cause the car to lose power when accelerating.
Bad Fuel Injectors (Diesel and Gas Rail Engine)
A fuel injector is an essential management component of a car engine whose function is to spray fuel into the engine. The engine’s computer controls the fuel injector.
It regulates the time intervals when the injector sprays fuel into the engine, enabling the engine to have excellent performance under different driving conditions.
If a fuel injector is damaged or malfunctions, the engine will not generate enough power to run the car. More so, expect all kinds of engine performance problems to occur since the fuel injector is a major part of the fuel system.
Weak or Bad Fuel Pump (Gas Engine)
The function of the fuel pump is to carry fuel from the gas tank to the car’s engine. The fuel pump delivers fuel at the right pressure to meet the engine’s demands for excellent performance.
When the fuel pump gets weak or bad, the car will have acceleration problems, and the engine performance will fail.
Bad Spark Plugs (Gas Engine)
Spark plugs are vital components of a car’s internal combustion motor. The spark plugs transmit the electrical signal sent by the ignition coil to the internal combustion chamber to ignite the fuel and air mixture by an electric spark. Therefore, when the spark plugs become bad, the engine’s performance diminishes and fails over time.
Car Has No Power When Accelerating: Solutions
Below are the best solutions (fixes) to try when your car has no power when accelerating:
Regular Servicing and Maintenance
Most times, all it takes for your vehicle to run well is regular and simple servicing. It’s important to always schedule a regular visit to your mechanic’s workshop for cleaning and maintenance to prevent any car problems.
Even though most performance issues are caused by failing engine components, you can eliminate the possibility of your vehicle losing power when accelerating by scheduling regular maintenance and servicing for your car.
Most importantly, early detection of worn-out or failing engine components will reduce the chances of engine damage and enhance your car’s performance.
Inspect and Replace Essential Components
If you notice your car’s fuel filter and air filters are clogged, the best solution is to replace them. Besides, it is advisable to change the fuel filter after 2 years or 30,000 miles of usage and the air filter after 14,000 miles.
Notwithstanding, you can still replace them if they get clogged earlier than expected. Clogged filters are not the only cause of power loss in a car; replace them if you notice any other component malfunctioning.
For example, suppose you notice that your vehicle is losing power when accelerating because of a faulty ignition coil or bad oxygen sensor. In that case, all you need to do is replace the component.
Scan Vehicle’s Computer
It is highly recommended always to scan your vehicle’s computer for any error codes when encountering issues like power loss when accelerating.
Scanning will always reveal any pending error codes or show an underlying problem with the vehicle’s components.
More so, computer scanning is the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to diagnose your car for any malfunctioning components, replace them, and restore your car to its best performance.
FAQs
Why Is My Car Having Trouble Accelerating?
There are 2 major reasons why you’ll be experiencing this problem. It’s either your car does not have power, or it is running out of fuel. Always try to fix the acceleration issues. Stop by a fuel station to refill your fuel tank if you’re out of fuel.
On the other hand, if your car has no power, inspect the essential components of your car, like the ignition coil, fuel filter, etc., to see whether they are faulty. Ensure you replace them if they are.
Should I Ignore Acceleration Issues?
Even though acceleration issues don’t seem too serious, you should never ignore them. Besides, acceleration issues never cease, except they’re fixed. So the longer you try to ignore them, the more problems they cause.
It’s a fact that most car owners don’t have adequate knowledge to understand how their car operates. If that’s the case with you, reach out to your mechanic or automotive dealer to get the acceleration issue fixed so you can continue enjoying your car at its optimal performance.
Can Power Loss in Car Lead to Poor Performance?
Power loss is a very serious issue that can lead to poor performance and accidents, in extreme cases. Once you notice your car has no power when accelerating, it’ll be safe to fix the problem immediately rather than leave it to get worse.
Additionally, always drive with caution and get your car checked if there’s any drop in performance. Finally, regular maintenance and servicing is the best way to avoid loss of power on cars.
Do I Need To Bring My Car To A Professional Auto Service Centre?
If you don’t have enough mechanical knowledge, it’ll be better to take your car to an expert auto service center to fix the acceleration problems. A professional auto service center will have skilled mechanics and equipment to inspect and fix your vehicle’s acceleration issues.
The cost of the repair won’t be too much. However, if the repair is a bit expensive, don’t hesitate to pay because your safety depends on it. I’m pretty sure you want to ensure you can get the right speed every time you slow down or speed up.
Can Bad Ignition Coils Cause Power Loss in Car?
Of course! The ignition coils function as an electronic engine management element responsible for converting the 12 volts of power generated by the vehicle into 20,000 volts.
This amount of voltage is required to generate the electrical spark that can ignite the fuel and air mixture in the engine. So, if the ignition coils are bad (or faulty), the vehicle will not accelerate and cause power loss.
Final Words
Power loss when accelerating is not only disappointing but hazardous. It is quite risky to try overtaking on the highway when your vehicle isn’t picking up speed.
Aside from putting your life and other road users at risk, acceleration problems make your driving experience boring.
Nevertheless, even with the extent of damage this issue can cause, there are possible solutions.
However, the solutions may vary depending on the cause of the power loss. Therefore, no matter the cause, check out for the best possible solution and get the problem fixed once and for all.
