Why Does My Car Hesitate When I Accelerate?

At Bayer Auto Group, our service team near Stephenville is here for you, whether you need oil changes, transmission service, tire rotations, and more. One question we get every so often is, “Why does my car hesitate when I accelerate?” 

It could be a clogged fuel filter or a broken fuel pump. Your transmission might also be to blame. The ultimate cause of why your car hesitates when accelerating could come from one of several things. But all of these things can be relatively easily fixed.

Our guide will answer, “Why does my car hesitate when I accelerate?” We hope it is helpful to your driving experience in Brownwood!

Why Does My Car Hesitate When I Accelerate: Common Causes 

If your car hesitates when accelerating, it could be caused by an issue with one of these components:

Fuel Pump

Fuel pumps deliver a precisely measured amount of fuel to the engine for combustion. If the fuel pump is malfunctioning, it won’t deliver the right amount of fuel into the engine. It may cause your engine to not operate at peak efficiency. Replacing the fuel pump solves this problem.

Mass Airflow Sensor

Mass airflow sensors (MAFs detect the amount of air flowing into the engine. The sensor transmits this information to the car’s computer, which then tells fuel injectors how much fuel to send to the combustion chambers. If the MAF is worn out or malfunctions, this can cause engine problems, including hesitation during acceleration. Replacing this sensor is the answer to this issue.

Fuel Injectors

Fuel injectors can become worn out or dirty, preventing them from spraying fuel into the internal combustion chamber. Engine hesitation will develop gradually as the fuel injectors worsen. Cleaning your fuel injectors will solve this issue, either with a fuel additive or a professional cleaning from a certified service technician.

Throttle Position Sensor

Throttle position sensors tell the main computer how much pressure to place on the accelerator. It also manages the throttle. The computer will use this information to adjust the fuel and air mixture before it enters the engine. If the sensor is broken, the information will be incorrect, leading to decreased performance from the engine and hesitation. Replace this sensor.

Fuel Filter

The fuel filter collects particles like dust and dirt in your fuel line. It prevents this debris from getting mixed into the fuel in the engine. If it’s clogged, a fuel filter can easily cause engine hesitation when accelerating. Replace the fuel filter for best results. 

Could a Transmission Cause Hesitation During Acceleration? 

If your car hesitates when accelerating, the transmission might be the problem. Electronically controlled automatic transmissions can develop sensor and actuator issues found in combustion engines. Hesitation can indicate transmission clutch slippage rather than engine problems. Clutch slippage can come from low or old transmission fluid, an old transmission oil pump, damaged clutches, or clutch solenoid failure. Transmission issues are notoriously more expensive to fix.

Schedule Engine or Transmission Service at Bayer Auto Group! 

If your car hesitates when accelerating, the factory-certified technicians at Bayer Auto Group near Abilene are happy to help! Contact us, call (325) 356-2541, or schedule service in Comanche with our team. We’re happy to help in any way we can!