Stephen Albert

Technicians should educate themselves on the vehicle manufacturer’s maintenance schedule to ensure prolonged life of GDI system components.

Soft carbon can be addressed by following the manufacturer’s preventative maintenance schedule along with a fuel additive. For hard carbon, the process is more involved.

Soft carbon is sooty, is more easily dissolved than hard carbon and can be remedied with additives. Hard carbon is baked on and is more labor intensive to address.

One of the more common symptoms is a lack of power, especially when driving at higher speeds.

The cause of carbon buildup can vary by vehicle make.