Most diesel engines that belong to the new generations are equally costly with those who run on petrol when it comes to maintenance. The same goes for the price of their regular servicing. Although diesel cars are reliable most of the owners are facing similar problems with their cars. The most common cause of these problems is irregular change of filters and oils and “abuse” of the acceleration pedal.
Car enthusiasts are often arguing about the choice of engine. Some say that diesel engines are better because the spend less and although they are usually more expensive than petrol engines they can compensate the difference in the price after 60.000 miles. But, what many people forget is that after the diesel car drives more than 60.000 miles, car owners should service the car’s injectors, high pressure pumps and turbochargers, fuel filter replacement and in some cases catalyst replacement, diesel particulate filter and the tank where the special liquid is kept located on the bottom of the fuel tank. It is obvious that regular maintenance of diesel car will cost you a certain amount of money.
Buyers who are looking to buy a used vehicle (with a mileage of around 60.000) should be especially careful. As long as the car is not causing any serious problems and fuel consumption is still low, many diesel car owners are not ready to sell their car. Most of the car owners decide to sell their diesel cars in the moment when they face some real problems and when they need to make some repairs or servicing. However, most of the buyers are considering buying exactly this category of cars (4 years old and a mileage of about 60.000 miles) because they believe that they can save some money although they have never consulted an auto repair shop. If you are one of these people you should keep in mind that diesel cars belong to a group of risky cars if they are not properly maintained. The following is a shortlist of common problem in diesel cars.
1. Blocked EGR
Carcinogenic nitrogen oxides are usually formed in place of high temperatures and traces of oxygen. The exhaust gases are lowering both of these elements and through the EGR (Exhaust gas recirculation)-valve brings back about 50 percent of emissions. This leads to increased gases and smoke making impossible to adjust the proportion which leads to lose of power on the engine and lower performance.
2. Air flow
If the air flow meter is dirty (for example from the oil vapors created by the crankcase) the electronics cannot set the proper ratio of fiel and air. If the mistakes are smaller in that case the engine will experience difficulties when it is turned on, poor traction and increased emission of smoke. If the problem is even bigger the car won’t be able to start at all.
3. Injectors
New injection technologies use injections with small holes with a diameter of human hair which can become dirty over time, especially if the fuel has high sulfur content and impurities. This leads to improper distribution of fuel in the cylinders that reflects on the car’s performance. This means that the injectors must be cleaned or replaced.