Unless you want to feel as though you're driving in a race car, a muffler is a necessary component to have on your vehicle. Mufflers work hard to dramatically reduce the noise levels that are produced by your engine. Given this high workload in Reno, NV, they can and do go bad. If you start to notice that your muffler is going bad, it's important to have it replaced as soon as possible, as it's illegal to drive in many cities without a muffler.
One common symptom of a muffler that's struggling is excess noise coming from your vehicle. Since the muffler's main job is to reduce this noise, if it's allowing the noise through, that's usually not a good sign. If even a small section of your muffler is damaged due to contaminants in the exhaust system, it can make it ineffective, requiring repair or replacement at Lithia Volkswagen of Reno to restore proper performance.
Another symptom to look for is reduced fuel economy. Since a muffler is a part of your engine's exhaust system, if your muffler isn't allowing the exhaust to escape as it should, it can have negative effects on your engine, thus lowering your fuel economy.