What is the Purpose of a Muffler?

A car muffler actually serves three main purposes. The first purpose is to lower the amount of noise that is generated by the exhaust system. The muffler redirects this noise so that it goes out of the exhaust pipes. That way, the passengers and everyone close to the vehicle will not be annoyed by these noises.

The second purpose of it and the rest of the exhaust system is that it allows the exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine to flow away from the engine. This allows the exhaust gases to cool via expansion and will prevent any spark or flame from the engine from coming out of the exhaust.

As mentioned, salt is the enemy of mufflers and your exhaust system in general whether it’s from road salt use or living near the ocean, but another danger exists.

Regularly driving through potholes or over speed bumps can cause damage to your muffler. The longer you put your vehicle under these conditions, the more likely that your muffler will suffer for it. The result can a small dent or actually ripping a hole into an exhaust component. Once that happens, it will fail to do its job properly.