Many car issues can be traced back to the ignition coil, yet this vital little engine component often goes unnoticed. The coils in your car work tirelessly converting the battery's meager 12 volts into staggering electrical power of up to 45,000 volts, delivered to the spark plugs, allowing them to ignite the fuel inside each cylinder. If one of your coils malfunctions, you'll notice the following symptoms. Check out six signs of a faulty ignition coil, and if you need a replacement, head for your local CDJR dealer.Â
Reduced Acceleration
When a bad ignition coil stops the spark plug from firing properly, that cylinder will falter, and the entire engine will lose power. This will make it harder to accelerate when attempting to overtake another vehicle, accelerate out of a turn, or quickly cross a busy intersection.
Misfiring Spark Plugs
As one or more spark plugs start misfiring, the engine will cough and shudder alarmingly. Misfiring usually becomes most noticeable when you're resting idle at traffic lights or driving at high speeds on the highway. As misfiring can cause damage to various car parts, it's important to address it right away.
Slow Starts and Stalls
The engine's cylinders require a powerful surge of electricity to get started from cold in the morning. If one or more coils fail to deliver this voltage, your car will struggle to start. It might also suddenly stall while out on the road.
Plummeting Gas Mileage
Your fuel economy will immediately suffer when you have a faulty coil. Even though the spark plug no longer has sufficient voltage to ignite the fuel inside the combustion chamber, fuel is still being injected into the chamber at the usual rate, leading to wastage and other more harmful engine problems.
Black Exhaust Smoke
The excess fuel that collects inside a misfiring cylinder can start to seep back into the exhaust system. Therein, this fuel can partially ignite, causing black smoke to emerge from the tailpipe. Fuel inside the exhaust pipes can also seriously damage the catalytic converter.
Check Engine Light
The check engine light will typically appear on the dashboard in response to a faulty coil. This light may not specify the cause of the problem but a trusted technician will soon figure it out.
Have Your Coils Inspected at Your CDJR Dealer
If your engine is demonstrating the above signs of trouble, have your coils checked by one of our experienced technicians. We can promptly ascertain the root issue and clean, repair, or replace bad coils, as required.
Visit Auffenberg Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Shiloh, IL, today to have your coil issues resolved. We're a locally trusted dealership offering a broad range of new and used vehicles, competitive deals, comprehensive maintenance services, and attentive customer care.
