The combustion engine in your car depends on the ignition coils, without which no fuel can be combusted. When working well, ignition coils generate enormous surges of up to 60,000 volts of electricity, which the spark plugs use to ignite the engine’s fuel. If your car has a faulty ignition coil, you’ll experience a variety of resulting car problems. It’s best to have a technician at your local Chevy dealer clean or replace the bad coil right away.
Trouble Starting the Engine
Without all cylinders ready to fire with healthy ignition coils, a car’s engine can struggle to start in the morning. And if more than one of your coils is bad, your car may fail to start at all.
Sputtering, Shaking Engine
The spark plug that depends on a bad ignition coil will misfire, meaning that particular cylinder won’t work when it’s supposed to. As the driver, you’ll feel your car sputter and shake strangely. Without immediate attention, this misfiring is likely to worsen as time goes on.
Plummeting Engine Power
When all cylinders are no longer firing properly, an engine can’t generate full power. You’re most likely to notice this diminished power while attempting to climb a steep hill or gain a burst of speed to overtake another car.
Falling Fuel Economy
When an ignition coil malfunctions, fuel is still being injected into the combustion chamber at the same rate, and sometimes at an increased rate as the engine tries to compensate. This results in more fuel being guzzled while power output is falling; you’ll be stopping for gas far more frequently.
Loud Popping Sounds
When a bad ignition coil prevents the spark plug from sparking, an excess of unburned fuel can build up inside the cylinder. This unburned fuel may eventually leak back into the exhaust system and suddenly ignite, creating loud popping sounds. Such backfiring often indicates some kind of trouble with the spark plugs or ignition coils.
Black Exhaust Smoke
When unburned fuel reaches the intense heat of the exhaust system, it may ignite with a bang or burn away more slowly. Either way, you’re likely to see black smoke seeping or pouring from your tailpipe.
How Often To Have Coils Replaced at Your Chevy Dealer
Ignition coils typically last from 80,000 to 100,000 miles. However, this lifespan can sometimes be shortened by other problems in the engine, such as an unbalanced fuel-air mixture resulting from a clogged air filter, a bad catalytic converter, or faulty spark plugs. Carbon deposits, moisture, and excessive vibrations can also damage ignition coils, as can an incorrect gap between a spark plug and its partnered ignition coil.
Visit Ted Britt Chevrolet today to have your engine’s ignition coils checked in Sterling and cleaned or replaced. We have an extensive and varied inventory of over 500 new and used cars, and courteous, experienced technicians to provide prompt, professional repair and maintenance.
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