The engine is delivering more fuel than air, creating a fuel‑rich mixture that burns
SYMPTOM-BLACK-SMOKE — The engine is delivering more fuel than air, creating a fuel‑rich mixture that burns incompletely. The excess fuel exits the exhaust as thick black smoke, indicating a problem with fuel delivery, airf. It is a medium-severity fault: you can usually keep driving for short distances. The most common cause is visual inspection & loose‑fit items.
"Caution: ignore it long enough and it gets expensive opinions about your wallet."
SYMPTOM-BLACK-SMOKE is a powertrain diagnostic trouble code. It identifies a fault related to The engine is delivering more fuel than air, creating a fuel‑rich mixture that burns incompletely. The excess fuel exits the exhaust as thick black smoke, indicating a problem with fuel delivery, airf. The powertrain control module monitors this circuit or component continuously and sets SYMPTOM-BLACK-SMOKE when the signal or value is outside the expected range, implausible or missing. This can affect engine performance, fuel economy or emissions and usually turns on the check-engine light. The base function may still work, but performance can be affected, so the fault should be diagnosed. Diagnosis generally means inspecting the related wiring, connectors and power/ground references, then verifying the component against specification with a scan tool.
- Check-engine light illuminated
- Possible rough running, reduced power or higher fuel consumption
- Fault code stored in the control module
| # | Cause |
|---|---|
| 01 | Visual inspection & loose‑fit items |
| 02 | Scan live data (MAF, O₂, fuel trims) |
| 03 | Test the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor |
Our departments
Everything you need, picked by us
Spare parts comparator, new and usedfrom the fault code to the part
Tools and diagnosticsfor repairing it yourself
Tyres for car, motorbike, scootertyres and wheels, in 15 countries
Accessoriesinside and outside the cabin
Tuningsuspension, turbo, exhausts
Batteriesstarting and charging
Coming soonDealership car, motorbike, scootervehicles for saleNo technical service bulletins or recalls currently reference SYMPTOM-BLACK-SMOKE. This section updates automatically when manufacturers publish related bulletins.
YES, WITH CAUTION — get it diagnosed as soon as possible.