It is an essential component of an internal combustion engine's exhaust system. It is responsible for collecting exhaust gases from the engine's cylinders and channeling them into the exhaust system for disposal.

The primary function of an exhaust manifold is to gather the high-temperature exhaust gases from each individual cylinder and direct them towards the exhaust pipe. By doing so, it helps to optimize the engine's performance by efficiently expelling the combustion byproducts.