Hesitatation When Accelerating? Your IAC Valve May Be To Blame

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You press down on your gas pedal and expect your car to take off smoothly, but that may not always happen. You might be experiencing hesitation due to a bad IAC valve (or idle air control valve). This guide will help you figure out if your idle air control valve is really your problem and offer steps to fix the problem.

Signs To Look Out For

The IAC valve is vital for precise combustion within your vehicle's engine; it lets in just the right amount of air so that it mixes with the precise amount of gasoline. You could be having trouble accelerating because one of the valve plates within the IAC valve is stuck. This could be due to a buildup of debris, gunk, or it is just defective.

The following are other signs related to a bad idle air control valve:

• Rough idling or idling (your car feels like it might stall)
• Your vehicle might stall during idle
• You might feel jerky deceleration from time to time
• There may be some backfires when you are decelerating
• Your vehicle might stall when carrying heavy cargo
• The car might stall when you turn on your air conditioner

Be sure to talk to your auto care specialist as soon as you can should you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, so that he or she can confirm your suspicions. Then you can do the following if you feel comfortable doing so.

How To Replace A Bad IAC Valve

You will need:

• A socket set and wrench
• Protective gear like glasses and gloves
• A clean rag
• Your owner's manual or repair guide
• New and matching IAC valve from your local auto parts store

Follow the steps below to change the valve:

1. Park your vehicle in a leveled location where you can let it cool.
2. Open up your vehicle's hood, and put on your protective gear.
3. Disconnect the negative or red cable from your car's battery just to be safe while you work.
4. Use your repair guide or owner's manual to find the valve, although it is usually near the air filter. The valve resembles a small "t." 
5. Disconnect the plug-like cable from the IAC valve.
6. Remove the bad idle air control valve using your socket set and wrench. 
7. Clean the area using your rag.
8. Replace with your new IAC valve by reconnecting the cable and securing it with your socket set and wrench.
9. Don't forget to reconnect your battery, and that is it.

As you can see, dealing with your IAC valve is not too hard. All you need is a good auto parts store like Parts Chain and a little knowledge. Hopefully this fixes this issue.

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22 January 2016