Exhaust Repairs in Dawlish

Dawlish is known for the railway running along the sea wall, with steep hills rising inland and busy visitor traffic on the A379. Queues in summer and damp, salty air in winter are a hard combination for any exhaust system.

Automaster is a garage at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and exhaust and emissions work is part of the mix alongside servicing and MOT testing. Here is what Dawlish drivers should know.

How does slow A379 traffic affect an exhaust?

Crawling in queues means the engine idles often and the exhaust runs cooler than it should. Condensation then lingers, rusts the inside of the silencer and shortens its life.

Diesels suffer in another way. Slow queues rarely lift the exhaust temperature enough for the filter to clear, so soot builds up over time.

Rust is not the only issue. Tidal spray and winter damp collect around brackets and bolts, so by the time a silencer fails the fixings behind it may be seized. That is why the first look on a lift matters: it shows whether a simple section swap will do or the corrosion has spread.

• Rust inside the silencer
• Blowing joint
• Idle rattle
• DPF light after queues

What should I do when a DPF light comes on?

Do not ignore it. The usual first step is a spell of steady driving if the car is otherwise running normally, but if the light stays on, flashes or the car loses power, get it checked rather than repeating the attempt.

We can read the fault codes, look at sensor data and tell you whether the filter is simply loaded or something else, such as a sensor, is making it worse.

Why would I fail the emissions part of an MOT?

The reading can fail because of a worn catalytic converter, a leak, a faulty sensor or an engine running too rich or lean. On a diesel, a blocked or damaged filter can also be behind it.

We find out why before suggesting parts. If you have a failure sheet, bring it, because the wording helps us.

Sensor trouble is a frequent culprit. A tired oxygen sensor can send the wrong signal to the engine computer, which then adjusts the mixture badly and pushes emissions up. Replacing a sensor can be a far smaller job than replacing a converter, which is why diagnosis comes before parts.

Do you cover Dawlish drivers?

Yes. We see people from Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Heathfield and the villages around us, and our garage is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes.

If you cannot tell whether the noise is the exhaust, the suspension or something else, describe it and we will help you work out the next step.

What affects the quote for exhaust repairs?

Cost depends on the vehicle, how many sections need replacing, whether a catalytic converter, filter or sensor is involved and how corroded the fixings are. We do not guess sight unseen, so please ask for a quote.

Tell us the registration, fuel type, symptoms, warning lights and when it began.