A vacuum leak can affect your Audi’s performance. Sometimes, the leaks are subtle; other times, they are extreme. If one of your vacuum hoses ends up with a hole in it, you’ll end up with the following issues below. Don’t worry. East Coast EuroWerks can fix your engine vacuum leak and restore your Audi’s fast and reliable performance.
1. The Check Engine Light Comes On
Your check engine light will come on when there’s a leak in the engine because the leak is introducing excess air into the engine’s environment. Your engine control module will receive abnormal readings from the mass airflow sensor and, because it can’t make enough adjustments to the air and fuel mixture, it will turn on the check engine light to warn you of trouble. The check engine light will turn off once the vacuum leak is fixed.
2. The Tachometer Needle Is Registering Too High
You will also notice that your tachometer needle is registering too high. This is because the engine is revving too high due to the influx of excess air. If the air is being released from the leaky vacuum hose in spurts, your needle on the tachometer may shoot up and down sporadically. This behavior generally points directly to a vacuum leak rather than another problem in your engine.
3. You’ve Got Engine Performance Problems
The excess air will also affect your engine’s performance and acceleration. Because there is more air than fuel in the engine, your acceleration may become sluggish or non-responsive. You may also notice that your engine idles roughly when you are sitting at an idle and that it sputters when you are driving. If the vacuum leak is severe, your engine might even stall, especially when you are sitting at a red light or a stop sign. Repairing the vacuum leak will restore your engine performance and acceleration.
4. You Can Hear Strange Noises Coming From the Engine
One way to determine whether you have a vacuum leak is to park your Audi, set the parking brake, turn on the engine, and pop the hood. Listen carefully for hissing or sucking sounds. A vacuum leak in the engine of your Audi will sound just like the suction noise that your household vacuum makes. You may even be able to see the vacuum hose that is leaking if you follow the sound to its source.
As we said above, East Coast EuroWerks in Wilmington, NC, assures you that there’s no need to panic if you suspect your Audi’s engine has a vacuum leak. We can find the leak and fix it. Call us today for an appointment.
