Why It Is Important to Service Your Car’s Timing Belt

Posted on | 24 Jun 2018 By Anita Gaal

Your car is made up of thousands of intricate parts and pieces, all of which affect your car’s performance to one extent or another. Some parts are more significant to your vehicle’s functioning over others, and this is certainly true in the case of the timing belt. Your timing belt performs a critical function for your car, and without it your car would be rendered useless. Furthermore, it’s important to know just what could happen if your timing belt fails—as this might motivate you to stay on top of maintenance. This article will discuss the important role your timing belt plays in your car’s performance, what can go wrong with it, and how you can avoid timing belt issues over the life of your car.

What Does the Timing Belt Do for Your Car?

The timing belt, also referred to as the cambelt or timing chain, is responsible for “timing” your engine appropriately. The precision timing that your engine relies on for various valves to open and close at the exact right interval must be maintained by the timing belt. This ensures that the different cylinders are firing at the right time. Your timing belt is exposed to high temperatures and severe engine conditions, which can cause the belt to wear over time and require replacement. If the timing belt isn’t working properly, your engine will experience concerning symptoms, such as: starting issues, ticking noises, oil leaks, and engine misfiring.

The Quality of the Belt Itself

Since the timing belt is made up of a rubber material reinforced with other materials like nylon, it is inevitable for the belt to eventually wear. Usually your automotive specialist will be able to tell if the timing belt needs to be replaced simply by looking at it. If the belt is losing material, cracking, or beginning to stretch, then it’s time for it to be replaced.

Misalignment

Another issue that can occur with the timing belt, especially if it is undergoing material damage or structural changes, is misalignment. When the timing belt isn’t properly aligned, it usually leads to other concerning symptoms such as intense vibration throughout the car, higher than average engine temperatures, and concerning noises coming from the engine or timing belt itself.

The Effects of a Damaged or Broken Timing Belt

If you have a damaged timing belt, it’s only a matter of time before it snaps under the hood. While the timing cover usually shields your engine from this somewhat, timing belt failure can cause catastrophic damages to your engine—especially if you’re traveling at higher speeds. This is why it’s most important to service and replace a defective timing belt before it fails completely.

Ongoing Inspections and Other Routine Maintenance

As we said before, your automotive specialist will likely be able to tell if your timing belt needs to be replaced simply by looking at it. Therefore, ongoing inspections are a huge factor in preventing timing belt failure and serious engine damage. Other routine maintenance, such as consistent oil changes, can help regulate the other conditions under the hood, such as managing excess friction and heat that the belt becomes exposed to. Acting preventively with all of your automotive maintenance procedures is critical for your vehicle’s overall health and performance, but it can spare you significant repair costs in the long run. While the cost of a timing belt replacement can be costly, the ramifications of a broken timing belt might be irreparable—and if they can be repaired, you’ll be looking at a hefty automotive repair bill!

What We Can Do to Help You

The automotive repair and maintenance experts here at Euro Automotive have helped countless clients from all over the areas of Dallas, Garland, Arlington, and Fort Worth, TX, address timing belt issues. Since timing belt failure can be such a damaging occurrence, and the part plays such a huge role in your engine’s functioning, we act preventively to ensure that the timing belt doesn’t fail before it’s recommended servicing. As the local dealership alternative for specialty European automotive maintenance and repair, we help our clients follow their manufacturer maintenance plan for up to 25% less than nearby dealerships. If you’d like to have your timing belt inspected, please call us right away—your vehicle’s safety is of the utmost importance to us.

Issues that Arise Due to a Bad Idle Air Control Valve

Posted on | 9 Jun 2018 By Anita Gaal

Your car is made up of tons of parts and systems that keep it running smoothly at all times—even while the car is idling. One part that affects your car’s ability to idle smoothly is the idle air control valve. When this part fails, it can cause troubling symptoms in your car and lead to serious performance issues. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of the idle air control valve and how to remedy issues related to failure of the part.

What does an idle air control valve do for your car?

The idle air control valve is part of a series of components in your engine that control how a car’s engine idles in terms of rising and falling RPMs—the goal is to keep a steady idle speed to avoid stalling and to allow the car to begin moving once the clutch or brake is disengaged. The valve is electronically regulated with the help of the car’s ECU, and involves a motorized mechanism to control airflow passing through the throttle body. When the idle air control valve begins to malfunction, you’ll likely notice some troubling symptoms.

How to prevent failure from occurring

A failed idle air control valve is problematic for a number of reasons, but the good news is that the part should last throughout the whole life cycle of the car. In other words, this valve shouldn’t fail under optimal circumstances where parts are well maintained and cared for. You can prevent failure of a number of different parts throughout your vehicle by following the routine maintenance schedule specific to your car, including the idle air control valve. When the engine becomes overly dirty, especially when engine oil isn’t properly maintained, it can cause premature failure of the idle air control valve. Therefore, it’s important to consult with an automotive specialist to learn how you can best prevent such issues from arising.

Symptoms of a bad idle air control valve

It’s critical to keep your eyes peeled for any troubling symptoms your car begins expressing. An automotive shop that specializes in the type of car you drive should immediately address any slight changes in function or reliability. The signs of idle air control valve failure can model the symptoms of other part failures, so a thorough diagnosis is essential moving forward. These are some of the most common symptoms associated with idle air control valve failure:

Check engine light illumination

Any time your check engine light comes on, it is critical to have it checked out by a professional. The check engine light can alert you of idle air control valve failure, but it can also indicate problems with other important areas of your car.

Periodic engine stalling

When the idle air control valve fails, it inhibits the flow of air through the engine. When the car can’t receive air, it leads to engine stalling. The severity of this symptom can range from occasional stalling at first, to stalling immediately after ignition.

Odd idling behaviors

Since the idle air control valve affects idle RPMs, it is not unusual to experience concerning symptoms while the car is idling. You might notice that the RPMs jump up much higher than usual while the car is idling and may overall behave erratically while idling.

What you should do next to address the issue

Although the idle air control valve is meant to last for the entire life of the car, sometimes premature wear and failure can occur due to improper maintenance and routine care. Establishing a routine is a good way to keep failure at bay, but the issue must be adequately fixed first. An automotive specialist will need to diagnose the problem correctly and decide if the idle air control valve should be replaced, or if it can be adequately cleaned and re-installed. Usually replacement is needed to remedy the issue.

What we can do to help you

Here at Euro Automotive, we specialize in luxury European repair services. For the residents of Dallas, Garland, Arlington, and Fort Worth, TX, we provide quality care, expertise, and competitive pricing for maintenance and repair in cars like Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, and Volvo. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms related to a bad idle air control valve, please contact us to schedule an appointment right away. Your safety and satisfaction are our number one priority.