Need Car Repairs in West Hendon? DAS Automotives is here to help…

As the West Hendon area’s local provider of car repairs, car servicing and MOT testing, DAS Automotives has to have a wealth of knowledge about every component that makes up a modern vehicle. One part which sits slightly out of sight, and as such is often neglected, is the exhaust system. Garages like our own regularly receive visits from clients who are totally unaware that theirs is suffering from a malady and requires exhaust repairs.

 

On this page, we’ve provided some information about your exhaust and what can go wrong with it, which we hope will be of some use to our West Hendon clients.

Exhaust Manifold – Attached to the cylinder head and made from steel/aluminium/stainless steel or cast iron, the exhaust manifold combines each cylinder into a single pipe (unless you have a system with multiple pipes). The most manifold-related exhaust repairs that garages around West Hendon will see, can be put down to cracks emerging over time, usually due to age and/or exposure to extreme temperature influxes.

 

A cracked or otherwise broken exhaust manifold will be picked up during car servicing, and will likely call for urgent car repairs. Not only will this issue to cause you to fail MOT testing, but it could be highly dangerous and expose driver/passengers to toxic fumes.

 

Oxygen Sensor – Modern vehicles feature an oxygen sensor which helps optimise fuel economy. Mounted to the exhaust manifold, these work by constantly checking how much oxygen is present in the engine and adding or subtracting fuel to make an ideal mix. Most garages recommend replacing this sensor every 60,000 miles or so.

 

This is because as time goes by, they wear out and become less accurate, negatively impacting your fuel economy. West Hendon motorists won’t fail MOT testing because of a worn oxygen sensor, nor will they have it automatically amended as part of car servicing. But it’s inexpensive, as far as car repairs go, and can save you a significant sum at the pumps.

 

Catalytic Converter – This component converts carbon monoxide/hydrocarbons to water vapour and CO2, drastically reducing the harmful emissions your vehicle lets out. Certain types of catalytic converter also reduce nitrogen oxides. It’s unlikely that West Hendon motorists will require exhaust repairs targeting your catalytic converter, but they do occasionally get clogged up.

 

Keep an ear/eye/nose out for a loss of power, sulfur smell and heat emitting from your vehicle’s floor. If you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, we urge you pay our garages a visit so we can figure out what the issue is and recommend the appropriate car repairs or car servicing.

 

Exhaust Pipe – Connected to the manifold, your exhaust pipe safely disposes of fumes generated by your engine, after they’ve been converted. They’re usually made out of steel, but some vehicles make use of aluminized steel – which boasts a fair amount of corrosion resistance (but is more expensive). Perhaps the most common problem that West Hendon motorists experience with the exhaust pipe is rusting/corrosion.

 

If the brackets that attach your exhaust pipe rust completely, you’ll hear a thump and a scraping noise as your exhaust falls onto the road and drags behind your vehicle. Car servicing at professional garages, like DAS Automotives in West Hendon, will be able to pick up on this issue and carry out exhaust repairs before the problem gets too serious, and causes you a surprise MOT testing failure, for example!