6 Signs of a Faulty Ignition Coil

A faulty ignition coil can quickly rob your engine of power and lead to steadily worsening vehicle problems unless it’s cleaned or replaced. With this in mind, the following six warning signs of a bad ignition coil should prompt you to visit your nearest GM dealer right away.

6 Signs of a Faulty Ignition Coil

Faltering Engine Power

A fully functioning engine needs all cylinders firing happily away. When one bad ignition coil fails to deliver its electrical charge to the spark plug, one of your cylinders will struggle to generate power.

You’ll find yourself pressing harder on the gas pedal while not accelerating as quickly. You’ll also struggle to make it up steep hills, and you’ll notice it’s taking longer to reach your destinations.

Misfiring Cylinders

With a faltering coil, the affected cylinder will begin misfiring as the spark plug can no longer keep up with the injected fuel. As it misfires, your engine will start sputtering and shaking. If the problem isn’t dealt with rapidly, other cylinders may begin to misfire as well, in which case the engine will soon start stalling.

Rough Idling

Misfiring becomes most noticeable when you slow your car down. When you stop your car to idle at traffic lights or wait for the engine to warm up in the morning, you’ll hear and feel your engine struggling to keep going.

Poor Gas Mileage

There are many potential reasons for decreasing gas mileage, including bad tires, misaligned wheels, clogged fuel injectors, a clogged air filter, bad spark plugs, and more. A failing ignition coil can also cause your fuel economy to fall. You may need to have a technician diagnose the underlying problem.

Exhaust Problems

When an ignition coil causes malfunctions inside a combustion chamber, the fuel-air mixture becomes rich, causing unburned fuel to leak back into the exhaust system. This excess fuel may begin to burn inside the extreme heat of the exhaust pipes, and you’re likely to see blue or black smoke pouring out of the tailpipe.

Check Engine Light

The check engine light will soon come alive on your instrument panel when an ignition coil stops working. It usually isn’t safe to drive for many miles more after the check engine light has come on. It’s best to use those few miles wisely: drive straight to your local dealership to have the problem figured out and repaired.

How Frequently To Replace Coils at Your Dealer

Ignition coils usually have a respectable lifespan of around 120,000 to 150,000 miles, which is around seven to ten years for most drivers. When a car is well-maintained, you’ll rarely see ignition coils dying more frequently than this, although carbon-fouled coils might need to be cleaned once in a while.

Have your ignition coils inspected and repaired or replaced today at Mansfield GMC. In addition to our top-notch repair and service center, we provide a smooth, hassle-free car purchasing, financing, and leasing service.

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