Even though ignition coils have long lifespans relative to other car parts, they can sometimes become prematurely damaged or fouled by excessive vibrations or carbon deposits. Visit your nearest Ford dealer right away to have a faulty ignition coil dealt with before it causes trouble with other engine parts.
6 Common Signs of a Faulty Ignition Coil
Poor Engine Performance
A fully functioning ignition coil generates electrical power for the spark plug so when a coil breaks down, the spark plug can no longer ignite the fuel inside the cylinder. As ignition coils serve this essential function, a faulty coil will rapidly cause the whole engine to lose power.
Coughing and Stalling in Idle
When you’ve stopped your car but the engine’s still running, it puts a lot of additional strain on the engine. For this reason, you’re likely to notice the problems caused by a bad ignition coil when you pause and rest at traffic lights. With a bad coil, your idling engine will cough, sputter, shake, and it might even stall.
Dropping Fuel Efficiency
With at least one cylinder lacking a good ignition coil, your fuel will be burning less efficiently. This can cause a notable drop in gas mileage. You might notice your gas tank emptying more rapidly than usual.
Strange Exhaust Sounds
Bad ignition coils rapidly lead to other kinds of car problems if not dealt with quickly. One of the first issues will be a buildup of excess unburned fuel inside the malfunctioning cylinder.
This excess fuel will eventually start to leak back into your car’s exhaust system. Inside the exhaust, the fuel can cause damage to the catalytic converter and suddenly ignite, causing backfiring.
Thick Smoke Behind Your Car
The excess fuel often partially ignites inside the combustion chamber or inside exhaust pipes. In either case, you’ll soon see black smoke billowing from the tailpipe behind you.
Check Engine Dashboard Light
Your car’s various sensors will usually detect engine problems caused by a bad ignition coil and warn you by lighting up the check engine light. If you see this light on your dashboard, head to your nearest dealership to have the underlying problem identified and fixed as soon as you can.
Visit Your Ford Dealer
Most of the time, ignition coils last for 100,000 miles or more. If a technician can clean the coil or fix the faulty wiring, you may get many more miles out of that ignition coil. If the coil is cracked or the electrode inside is burned out or seriously damaged, however, you’ll need to replace it with a new one.
Visit Visalia Ford today to have your ignition coils inspected and fixed or replaced. We offer competitive deals and financing offers, with courteous, personalized customer service.
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