Use our locator to find an Independent Service Center that features quality ACDelco parts.
Use our locator to find a Distributor near you.
- Home >
- You & Your Car >
- Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
Understanding the Signals Can Go a Long Way!
Understanding the Signals Can Go a Long Way! Noises, smells, leaks and operating changes are all signs that something could be wrong with your vehicle. To make maintaining and repairing it faster and easier, pay attention to these signals and be prepared to describe them to your automotive technician. The following section can help. Remember, understanding the signals can go a long way towards troubleshooting the problem and getting you safely on the road again.
" It Just Isn't Running Right..."
Knowing something about how your vehicle performs makes communicating with service advisers and technicians a lot faster and easier.
| Performance Problem | How to Describe It |
|---|
| Cuts out | Temporary, complete loss of power. Engine quits at sharp, irregular intervals. May occur repeatedly or intermittently. Usually worse under heavy acceleration. |
| Detonation | Mild to severe ping, usually worse under acceleration and load. Engine makes sharp, metallic knocks that change with throttle opening. Sounds like popcorn popping. |
| Dieseling | Engine runs after ignition switch is turned off. Runs unevenly and may make knocking noises. |
| Hesitation | Momentary lack of response as accelerator is pressed. Can occur at all speeds. Usually most severe when starting from a stop. May cause engine to stall. |
| Missing | Pulsation or jerking that changes with engine speed. Exhaust has a steady spitting sound at idle or low speed. Not normally felt above 30 mph. |
| Rough idle | Engine runs unevenly at idle. Car may also shake. |
| Sluggish | Engine delivers limited power under load or at high speed. Won't accelerate as fast as normal. Loses too much speed going up hills. Has less speed than normal. |
| Spongy | Less than anticipated response to increased throttle opening. Little or no increase in speed when accelerator is pushed down to increase cruising speed. Continuing to push pedal down will finally give an increase in speed. |
| Stall | Engine stops running or dies out. May occur at idle or while driving. |
| Surge | Vehicle speeds up and slows down with no change on accelerator pedal. Can occur at any speed. |
Did You Hear
What's your car trying to tell you when it clicks, clunks and grinds? Translating these noise signals is key information for automotive technicians who are trained to identify problems via sound.
The important thing to remember with odd sounds is to be specific, narrow that 'rattle' down, and then detail when it happens - when the car's hot, cold, at idle, moving at 55 mph, etc.
| Sound | Description | Sample |
|---|
| Boom | Constant bass drum roll; distant thunder. | 80k wav |
| Click | Camera shutter; retractable ball-point pen. | 88k wav |
| Clunk | Heavy door closing. | 112k wav |
| Growl | Angry dog. | 159k wav |
| Hiss | Air escaping from a tire; steam from a radiator; angry cat. |
133k wav |
| Knock | Knock on a door. | 91k wav |
| Rattle | Baby's rattle; stone bouncing around in a can. | 110k wav |
| Roar | Angry lion; waterfall. | 111k wav |
| Rumble | Bowling ball rolling down alley. | 110k wav |
| Spit | Drop of water on a hot skillet. | 176k wav |
| Squeak | Tennis shoes on a wooden floor; mouse; door hinge that needs oil. |
54k wav |
| Squeal | High-pitched squeal of a pig; fingernails scraping on a blackboard. |
112k wav |
| Whine | Electric drill motor; mosquito; unhappy kid. | 178k wav |
| Whistle | Tea kettle boiling; toy whistle. | 94k wav |
Find Quality Parts
Get more information about finding genuine ACDelco parts.
Find Distributors
Use our locator to find a distributor that supplies genuine ACDelco parts.
Find a Service Center
Use our locator to find an Independent Service Center that features quality ACDelco parts.
