When your car sounds different, and the noise just keeps getting louder and louder – and then suddenly sounds like you’re at the track, it’s probably time to get your exhaust system repaired. Leaky and broken exhaust components can increase emissions, cause your engine to run less efficiently, and allow toxic gasses into the cabin. Even a dragging tailpipe can be dangerous – not only to you but to those driving behind you if it should fall off.

If you believe you have a problem with your vehicle’s exhaust system or you have a bad muffler, contact us for an estimate on replacing the exhaust on your VW or Audi.

The exhaust system is comprised of several parts:

• Muffler: This reduces the noise of the exhaust being expelled from the engine.
• Catalytic converter: Converts certain toxins into carbon dioxide and water.
• Oxygen sensors: These monitor the exhaust before it goes into the catalytic converter. Some vehicles also have oxygen sensors after the catalytic converter.
• Exhaust manifold: This bolts up to the engine and directs exhaust from combustion through the exhaust system.
• Exhaust pipe: Your vehicle has exhaust pipe between the exhaust manifold and the catalytic converter and / or muffler, and a section between the catalytic converter and muffler, then a section after them and before the tailpipe. It carries the exhaust through the exhaust system.
• Tailpipe: The area where exhaust leaves your system. Some vehicles have one, and others have two. If you have a V6 or larger engine and only one tailpipe, you could have an H pipe somewhere in the exhaust system that connects the two sides into one.

Exhaust System FAQs

What is a dual exhaust, and does my car have one?

If you have a V6 or V8, your vehicle could have a single or dual exhaust. Look at the rear of your vehicle. If you have two tailpipes, you have dual exhaust – one exhaust system for each engine bank. If your vehicle has dual exhaust, it also has two mufflers and two or four catalytic converters.

What are the signs of a bad muffler?

If your muffler is going bad, your vehicle will sound louder; you might hear the engine rattling (misfiring); you could hear something dragging on the ground; you might have condensation coming from the tailpipe, and your exhaust might smell unusual.

How long does a muffler last, and how long does it take to replace it?

It depends on your driving habits and how much roads are treated during the winter. Ice melt and salt wreak havoc on metal and cause premature rusting. A muffler can last between 40,000 to 80,000 miles, on average.

As for replacement, the average muffler repair takes up to 60 minutes, though some take less and some take longer. Bolt-on mufflers take less time than those that are welded into the exhaust system.