Jeep Won’t Accelerate? Here’s What to Do

Car problems can be a real pain, and when your Jeep is refusing to accelerate, it can feel like the end of the world if you don’t know what to do. Therefore, it’s important to know the different issues that can cause a Jeep not to accelerate.

Jeep Won’t Accelerate? Here’s What to Do

If you determine that all of these items are in proper working order and your Jeep still won’t accelerate, you should then check the actuators and the sensors and see if there are any mechanical issues.

In this post, you will find common causes for why a Jeep won’t accelerate and learn the ways you can fix them.

Why is My Jeep not Accelerating?

If you don’t know much about cars, something like a faulty acceleration can seem like an unfixable issue. However, like any problem, there has to be a reason why your Jeep is not accelerating properly. There are several parts and mechanisms that you can check to find out the cause of your Jeep’s lack of acceleration.

Issues with the following parts of your vehicle can cause your Jeep not to accelerate:

• The clutch
• The electronic control unit (ECU)
• The fuel filter
• The timing belt
• The vacuum

These are the mechanisms that you will want to check first when your Jeep is having issues with acceleration.

Clutch Problems

Most often, when you push your gas pedal, and your Jeep doesn’t speed up, you need to look at the clutch. The clutch is the part of your car that connects the rotating shafts.

If your Jeep has a manual transmission, this means that the clutch will control the shaft’s connection with the engine. With an automatic transmission, the clutch does the same thing, but instead of you having to change gears manually, the car does it for you.

If you can’t engage your transmission with your engine, you will have acceleration issues. Your clutch pedal could be worn out. If the clutch appears to be too loose or the speed of the Jeep changes without you wanting to accelerate or decelerate, this means that the clutch is probably the issue.

ECU Issues

The electronic control unit, or ECU, controls the engine and other components in your Jeep. It is a close-looped controlling mechanism that watches for the output of your system to control the input. It also manages the fuel emissions and fuel economy of your engine.

Your ECU can cause your Jeep not to accelerate if it is malfunctioning and thinks excess fumes are being released. If the sensors on the ECU aren’t working properly, you should take it to a servicing center to have it fixed.

Dirty Fuel Filter

One simple issue that can cause your Jeep not to accelerate is a dirty fuel filter. Your fuel’s filter collects dirt and grime from the fuel tank as time passes. The dirt that builds up makes your fuel heavier, so when the fuel filter is dirty, the fuel can’t move to where it needs to be.

You need to provide lubrication to your accelerator. You can fix this issue by cleaning out the filter or replacing it.

Timing Belt Issues

A timing belt that is past its prime will be much less responsive to acceleration. A brand new timing belt can also cause issues if it has been installed incorrectly. Not installing a timing belt properly can lead to worse acceleration issues than before.

Vacuum Leaks

A vacuum hose is located inside the engine compartment of your Jeep. The vacuum hose is used to operate several functions in your Jeep. If there are any holes in these hoses or a build-up of too much dirt or fuel, your car will not accelerate.

Take the Jeep to a mechanic to get a full check-up of your vacuum hoses. The mechanic can either patch it up or replace it.

Are There Other Reasons that My Jeep Won’t Accelerate?

If all of the aforementioned possible causes have been checked and cleared, there are two other causes that your Jeep is not accelerating: not enough fuel and inadequate power.

If your car doesn’t have enough power or is losing power when you try to accelerate, there are some reasons why.

Bad Actuators:

• Spark Plugs

Spark plugs spark electricity to your ignition to create the combustion needed to start your car. The pistons on your engine fire and keep your car’s power on, so you can accelerate.

• Fuel Pump

Your fuel pump takes fuel from the gas to the engine. If the fuel to air ratio is wrong, the cylinders don’t get enough fuel, and your pistons can’t fire so your vehicle will struggle to move forward.

• Fuel Injectors

Fuel injectors take fuel to the combustion chamber, both directly and indirectly. They spray fuel toward the engine’s inner valve and onto the cylinder. When these are broken, not only is acceleration hard but so is starting your car and fuel consumption.

Bad Sensors:

• Airflow Sensor

The airflow sensor, which is inside of your air cleaner, measures the mass of the air going into your intake. If that sensor is clogged or malfunctioning, it will send the wrong information to the ECU for the air to fuel ratio, and your car won’t accelerate properly.

• Oxygen Sensor

The oxygen sensor keeps watch of the exhaust emissions from your Jeep. The sensor sends signals about how much fuel you use, and if it is damaged, it won’t know the air to fuel ratio. Therefore, you will get more fuel in your mixture, which slows acceleration.

• Crank Shift Sensor

The crank shift sensor determines how many rotations per minute (or RPM) you get as well as ignition timing and fuel injection timing. RPMs determine how fast you go.

• MAF Sensor

The MAF sensor determines how much air volume is entering the engine and cooling down the inside of your car. When it goes out, it can’t measure the amount of air your car is taking in and causes poor acceleration.

• Camshaft Position Sensor

The camshaft position sensor monitors the rotational position of your camshaft, which adjusts your spark timing and fuel injectors. When it malfunctions, your vehicle can misfire, and your engine will perform poorly, which will cause stalling.

• Throttle Position Sensor

Your throttle position sensor, or TPS, is used to see how much throttle your opening angle has and is controlled by the acceleration pedal. The TPS sends information to your ECU. So, if the TPS isn’t working correctly, then the engine’s speed cannot be controlled by your acceleration pedal. Therefore, you won’t be able to control your speed.

• EFI Sensors

The EFI sensor controls your fuel map and ECU, which keeps your car working at its best. When it stops working properly, your fuel mixture is thrown off, and you can lose power and acceleration or misfire your car.

Mechanical Issues:

• A Blocked Exhaust

Your exhaust releases gas in a controlled way, and, when blocked, it can damage the surrounding parts or even start a fire or blow gas out at other components in your car, causing heat damage.

• Clogged Air Filters

If your air filters are clogged, it can mess up the air to fuel ratio, and your car suffers as a result.

• Broken Catalytic Converter

If your catalytic converter isn’t working, you won’t get the right amount of exhaust out of your engine. A bad amount of pressure can build up and cause your engine to stop working properly. Your engine won’t be as powerful and will heat up, causing your acceleration to fail.

• Not Enough Compression

Compression is the air and gas mixture in your cylinder and is what is required for your car to move and function. If there isn’t enough compression, your Jeep won’t work.

In Conclusion

To recap, if your Jeep won’t accelerate, there’s no need to panic. There are many issues that you can check and even fix yourself. However, if you do not know how to fix cars, bring your Jeep to a mechanic to have it properly checked out and repaired.