While car batteries deliver about 12 volts of electricity, the engine’s spark plugs need thousands of volts to ignite the fuel inside the cylinders hundreds of times per minute. Ignition coils massively magnify the battery’s voltage, allowing the spark plugs to do their job. If your car ever experiences a coil malfunction, you’ll see a variety of vehicle problems. Your local Kia dealer can promptly repair these issues. But a little knowledge goes a long way, so here are 6 signs of a faulty ignition coil.
Misfiring Spark Plugs
When a fouled or faulty ignition coil fails to deliver the necessary voltage to its corresponding spark plug, that spark plug will stop firing properly. This misfiring will cause the engine to cough and shake, especially when driving at high speeds on the highway on resting in idle. While you’re waiting at traffic lights, your car might even stall.
Trouble Starting Your Car
Whenever you start the engine, both the starter and spark plugs need a reliable surge of electricity. If a malfunctioning coil can’t deliver this voltage, the engine won’t start. As a coil first falters, you might initially notice your engine becoming slower to turn over. That’s the time to head straight to your nearest dealership to have the coils checked.
Plummeting Engine Power
When one coil dies, its cylinder will no longer properly function. Without all cylinders firing reliably, your car’s engine may lose a significant amount of power, and you’ll find it harder to accelerate. How much power you lose depends on how badly the coil is malfunctioning and also on the overall number of cylinders in the engine.
Falling Fuel Economy
While a bad coil leads to misfiring spark plugs, the fuel injector is still sending fuel into the combustion chamber. But this fuel is no longer igniting properly, leading to various problems, including dropping gas mileage.
Black Smoke from the Tailpipe
The excess unburned fuel that results from misfiring spark plugs can start to leak back into the car’s exhaust system. Therein, the fuel can suddenly combust or partially ignite, causing black smoke to emerge from the car’s tailpipe.
Check Engine Light
The many problems caused by a failing coil will usually trigger the check engine light to appear on the dashboard. This light should never be ignored; a trusted technician can quickly identify and resolve the root problem.
Your Kia Dealer Can Clean, Repair, or Replace Your Car’s Coils
Depending on how damaged your faulty coil is, the technician might be able to restore it to working function. Sometimes coils can be cleaned, repaired, or refurbished. However, the costs of testing, dissembling, reassembling, and ordering parts will often outweigh the cost of simply purchasing and installing a brand-new coil.
Visit Auffenberg Kia in Shiloh, IL today to have your malfunctioning coils repaired or replaced. We’re a local full-service dealership providing the region’s drivers with great cars, great deals, and great customer care.
Connect with us
Archives
Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.