When, Why, And How To Replace Your Audi Throttle Body?

Are you having trouble accelerating your car lately? Because, if that's what you're experiencing, you are likely dealing with a bad throttle body. This is the part that enables the engine control computer or ECU to control the air supply into the cylinder.

And, if a part of such importance goes bad, you'll experience a number of drivability problems—one of which is sluggish acceleration. Don’t freak out though… Dealing with a defective throttle body is easier than you think.

Why Does A Car Need A Throttle Body?

The throttle body is in charge of sending air into the engine cylinder. And, to do so, it depends on the inputs it receives from the ECU. You should know that the throttle body is a very complex device made of numerous parts such as a throttle or butterfly valve, accelerator position sensor, throttle position sensor, throttle control motor, magnetic clutch, limp mode lever, etc.

If the throttle body starts to malfunction, it can severely limit the engine’s torque generation ability and even cause it to stop working altogether. It is therefore important that you address the issue related to a failing throttle body in a timely and effective manner.

5 Sure Signs Your Throttle Body Needs To Be Replaced

1. A drop in engine performance

How is your car performing these days? Is it struggling to pick up speed? This often indicates there is a problem with the throttle body that's restricting airflow into the cylinder. Incomplete combustion of gasoline inside the cylinder due to restricted airflow can give rise to numerous problems including sluggish engine performance.

Issues such as faulty fuel injectors, malfunctioning spark plugs and numerous other factors can also contribute to declining engine performance in a vehicle.

2. Flashing check engine light

If your vehicle's check engine light is flashing, it may be a bit difficult to find the root cause. After all, this warning indicator can come on due to any number of reasons; ranging from a faulty spark plug to a defective oxygen sensor.

And, yes… this warning indicator can also come on due to a faulty throttle body. However, before you assume that the check engine light refers to a failing throttle body, make sure that other key engine components are functioning properly.

3. The engine runs rich

Another more nuanced sign of throttle body malfunction in a car is a rich running engine. For those who don't know, an engine that’s running rich simply means that it is getting a lot more fuel than what it needs.

There are systems in place to feed the engine with the requisite amount of air and fuel- one of which is the throttle body. If it goes bad, airflow into the engine will get severely restricted. The engine will run rich in the absence of an adequate amount of air.

4. Engine misfire and stalling

Generally, an engine misfire means one of the spark plugs is failing. It could also mean the engine is not receiving the right amount of air at the right time. Many things can restrict airflow into the combustion chamber of the engine- one of which is a defective throttle body. So, if you notice that your car engine is misfiring and stalling, have the throttle body checked by a certified car mechanic.

5. Reduced gas mileage

If the throttle body is damaged, you might also notice a sudden increase in fuel consumption. No matter how unrelated it may seem to you… but it’s true.

A car engine needs about 15 units of air to burn one unit of gasoline. The ECU, along with the throttle body and fuel intake unit, works tirelessly to meet that quota. If the throttle body malfunctions, airflow into the engine will get disturbed and the engine will perform poorly. To counter this loss of torque the ECU will feed an extra amount of fuel to the engine- resulting in bad MPG.

Closing Remarks

As you can see, a faulty throttle body can cause many different problems in a car ranging from sluggish acceleration to bad gas mileage. In any case, if you are noticing any of the aforementioned symptoms, contact a reliable car mechanic in your locality so that he can diagnose the problem.

We at Hagan’s Motor Pool located in Rochester, NH is a leading pre-owned dealership & German auto service center. Whether you are looking for buying a pre-owned car or having your current one serviced, our team has the complete experience to look.