The muffler reduces the noise of the engine before the gases leave the tailpipe, and in Michigan it usually fails from rust rather than wear. AutoTech Clinic repairs and replaces mufflers at our Dearborn shop, usually the same day.
We look at the whole system before quoting. There is no point fitting a new muffler to a pipe that will rust through next winter, and equally no reason to sell you a full system if only one section has failed.
- How Long
- About 1 to 2 hours for most muffler work.
- Same Day
- Usually finished the same day.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Muffler Repair
- A noticeably louder exhaust note, worse under acceleration
- A rattling or buzzing that changes with engine speed
- A metallic scraping from under the car
- Rust holes, flaking metal or a separated seam on the muffler
- A hissing or puffing sound at idle
- Black soot around a joint or seam
What We Do
- 01
Lift and Listen
We run the engine with the car on a lift and locate the leak by sound and by feeling for escaping gas.
- 02
Assess the Whole System
We check every pipe section, hanger, clamp and flange so you know what is sound and what is close to failing.
- 03
Repair or Replace the Section
Where the rest of the system is good we replace only the failed section, welding where that gives the stronger joint.
- 04
Replace Hangers and Clamps
Broken rubber hangers let the system swing and crack. We replace them as part of the job rather than reusing perished rubber.
- 05
Check for Contact and Road Test
We confirm the system has clearance from the body and heat shields, then road test to make sure the rattle is gone.
Why Mufflers Rust From the Inside
Burning fuel produces water vapor, and on a short trip the exhaust never gets hot enough to dry out. That water sits in the lowest point of the muffler and rusts it from the inside, which is why a muffler can look fine from below and still be about to fail.
Short trips in winter are the worst combination, and that describes a lot of driving in Dearborn. A car used for a ten minute commute will go through mufflers faster than one that sees regular highway miles.
Rattles Are Not Always the Muffler
A metallic rattle under the car can also be a loose heat shield, a broken hanger letting the pipe touch the body, or the internal honeycomb of a catalytic converter breaking apart.
A heat shield rattle is a quick and inexpensive fix. A collapsing converter is a much bigger one. We identify which before quoting, because the difference matters.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Whether a section can be repaired or the muffler must be replaced
- Direct fit replacement versus a universal muffler and custom pipe work
- Rusted clamps and flange bolts that have to be cut off
- Hangers, gaskets and heat shields replaced at the same time
- Vehicles with dual exhaust systems or integrated resonators
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.