Your vehicle's muffler is designed, like its name would suggest, to muffle the sound of your car's exhaust system. Mufflers also work to filter out the worst of your vehicle's pollutants from the exhaust. This means that if your muffler no longer functions as it should, there can be a number of serious implications for your vehicle. Thankfully, there are some warning signs that you can keep your eye out for to help determine when you should contact a mechanic to have your muffler replaced.

Increased Misfires

One of the most common signs that your muffler is not working as it should be is if your vehicle experiences a great deal of misfires, especially slowing down. This is because a damaged muffler that is unable to properly process the engine's exhaust can cause the engine itself to begin to experience an increased amount of strain, which can in turn impact overall vehicle performance and cause misfires. You should contact a mechanic like those at H & S Tire & Auto Center to have your muffler looked at, because misfires can place a significant amount of strain on your engine and cause other, more complicated problems to fix.

Loud Exhaust

Another easily identifiable sign that your muffler has reached the end of its lifespan is if your vehicle is running much louder than usual. This increase in overall noise is usually attributable to a hole in the muffler itself, which means that your vehicle is no longer properly filtering out pollutants. While this may not have an effect on your vehicle's performance, it can make it difficult to pass an emissions test and can decrease your awareness while driving, as it becomes harder to hear the sounds of traffic around you.

Exhaust Condensation

The last common sign associated with a damaged or malfunctioning muffler is if there are signs of heavy condensation around your muffler. While this can be harder to spot than the other two warning signs, you should inspect your muffler occasionally for any signs of rust or pooled water underneath the muffler. This condensation is normal with age, and occurs because the muffler itself heats up and causes the water in the air around it to condense, but you should always keep an eye out to see if your muffler has begun to reach the end of its lifespan. As soon as you can identify significant portions of rust on your muffler, you should head to a mechanic.