Dwelling in the shadow of your vehicle’s spark plugs is the ignition coil. It handles most of the complex tasks in your vehicle’s ignition system.
As a result, your car’s performance may suffer when it malfunctions. However, you can avoid it by recognizing the crucial defective ignition coil symptoms as early as possible.
The vehicle has means of letting you know if the coil isn’t working correctly. All you have to do is learn to spot the early warning signals. Let’s find out more about it!
Bad Ignition Coil Symptoms
1. Backfiring Happens
Among the first signs of a bad ignition coil is black smoke coming from the exhaust pipe.
Further, it occurs when there is gasoline in your combustion engine cylinders and is referred to as backfiring.
So, do not belittle this problem. It can imply that some or all of your coils must be repaired. In addition, the performance of the exhaust may also suffer.
2. Rough Idle And Engine Stalling
An engine misfiring might show up in a variety of ways. Among these include engine stalling and a harsh idle. What do these phrases signify, though?
For example, when you slow down at a crossroads, your automobile may stall its engine. It can occasionally take place when you are running.
When your car is idling, it has a rough idle when there are noticeable vibrations. These problems don’t last very long. Typically, they appear and just go.
However, you shouldn’t expect they’ll vanish forever on their own. Also, it can worsen if you wouldn’t repair your coil quickly enough.
3. Engine Trembling When Accelerating
When you strive to accelerate, your automobile jerks and spits, an additional instance of an engine misfiring. The same could occur if you drive quickly.
Of course, a broken ignition coil frequently causes this symptom. Check your injectors as well, however. Another sign that this component is broken is when the engine hesitates.
4. Engine Trembling When Accelerating
When you strive to accelerate, your automobile jerks and spits; that is an additional instance of an engine misfiring. The same can occur if you drive quickly.
That said, a broken ignition coil frequently causes this symptom. Check your injectors as well, however. Another sign that this component is broken is when the engine hesitates.
5. Increased Emissions
Relatively low fuel efficiency and increased emissions are mutually exclusive. That is especially true when a defective coil is to blame for them.
The dashboard of some modern cars is innovative. So you will be notified if emissions increase. But when their cars screw up emission standards, most auto owners become aware of the problem.
6. Inability Or Difficulty Starting The Vehicle
Do you struggle to start the car’s engine? Numerous variables may contribute to this problem. For instance, the battery could not have enough charge.
The same result might be caused by a defective ignition coil or a blocked fuel filter.
Find the source of this by going to your neighborhood vehicle repair shop. Consider starting the car in the winter as well.
So, if the coil is destroyed, you will find it challenging to achieve that. The same problem is indicated by an odd noise when the engine starts.
7. Poor Fuel Mileage
Bad coils cause engine misfires, which cause poor fuel efficiency. Therefore, excessive fuel consumption is one of the obvious indicators of a defective ignition coil.
And how will you recognize a drop in fuel efficiency? Nothing else but when you start visiting the petrol station more frequently.
8. Your Vehicle’s Engine Check Light Comes On
There are several causes for the check engine light (CEL). An unreliable ignition coil is one of them.
Further, the CEL will appear on your dash when you consistently miss the other apparent signals. Unfortunately, by that time, the problem could have spread to other parts of your car.
9. Oil Spills On Your Ignition System
Have you noticed any grease on your ignition system’s coils? That may indicate that your vehicle coil housing is damaged and is now dripping oil.
So, as quickly as you can, solve this problem. If not, the oil leak might harm the automobile by getting to the carburetor.
To know more, you can also read our posts on bad timing belt symptoms, bad torque converter symptoms, and bad transmission mount symptoms.
Conclusion
Your automobile can still start even with a damaged ignition coil. You can therefore drive, but you shouldn’t. Remember that a single faulty coil can harm many other automobile components.
So take action to resolve the problem if your coil is defective by looking for these symptoms and don’t wait for more severe issues that may occur.