Does Your Car Have a Faulty Ignition Coil?

Without healthy ignition coils, spark plugs can’t spark properly, and without good spark plugs, your engine won’t generate any power at all. Ignition coils are hardy engine components that tend to last well over 100,000 miles. But eventually, all car parts begin to wear down. If you notice the following seven signs of a faulty ignition coil, visit your local Buick dealer right away to have it cleaned or replaced. 

Does Your Car Have a Faulty Ignition Coil?

Your Engine’s Misfiring

Ignition coils deliver a strong and steady supply of electrical power to the spark plugs. When an ignition coil stops doing its job, the corresponding spark plug will begin to misfire. 

Misfiring usually makes the engine shudder and sputter noisily. You’ll also see the engine’s RPMs jumping around erratically. 

Your Engine’s Struggling in Idle

With a faulty coil, cars can really start to struggle while idling. You might find your engine shaking and coughing, and perhaps even stalling, when you slow down at traffic lights. 

Your Gas Mileage Is Dropping

With a less efficient combustion process, an engine with a faulty coil is burning through fuel less effectively. You’ll probably find the gas gauge on your dashboard dropping toward empty at a surprising rate. 

Your Exhaust Is Backfiring

When a malfunctioning ignition coil causes the spark plug to misfire, unburned fuel can build up inside the combustion chamber. This can lead to all kinds of other problems.

The collecting unburned fuel may suddenly ignite outside the cylinder’s ordinary rhythm, just as the cylinder is opening. This would cause a loud bang from your exhaust, otherwise known as backfiring. 

Your Tailpipe’s Emitting Smoke

The excess of unburned fuel can also start to leak out of the cylinder and run back through the exhaust system. Here, the fuel will often turn into black smoke that you’ll soon see billowing from your tailpipe. 

Your Check Engine Light’s Blinking

The various inefficiencies resulting from a bad ignition coil will soon be detected by the computerized sensors inside your Acura. This will trigger the check engine light to come alive on your dashboard, prompting you to see a technician at once.

Your Buick Dealer Finds a Faulty Coil

Regular servicing visits at your local dealership are the key to keeping every part of your car in tip-top condition. During your visits, the technician will observe and test how well your car is functioning. If one of your ignition coils is faltering, they’ll quickly notice, let you know, and either clean or replace the faulty coil.

Visit Crain Buick GMC today to have your ignition coils checked today. We’re a family-owned dealership with a wide range of excellent vehicles, highly trained technicians in our service center, and a dedication to prioritizing customer experience above all else.

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