When an ignition coil fails, your car’s performance suffers significantly. You might have trouble getting the car started, or you may just notice the engine is misfiring while you’re trying to drive. Either way, it can be extremely annoying and may eventually prevent your car from running at all. Learning to recognize the signs that one of your coils is going bad will help you get to the Kia dealer as soon as the problem starts.
1. You Struggle to Start Your Car
The coils in your car are tasked with delivering electricity to your spark plugs, and your spark plugs need to spark at just the right time for the engine to turn over. If a faulty coil isn’t delivering electricity to the spark plugs at the right time, then the spark plugs can’t spark at the right time. This makes it harder to get the car started.
2. You Can’t Start Your Car
Not every car has multiple coils. Those that only have one coil may not be able to start if that coil is going bad because it might not be delivering sufficient electricity to the spark plugs. If the coil stops working completely, then you definitely won’t be able to get your engine up and running.
3. You Hear a Popping Noise in Your Exhaust
If there’s a loud popping noise coming from your exhaust, then it means your car is backfiring. Your car really shouldn’t do this, so it’s a major sign that there’s a problem somewhere. Backfiring is usually caused by your car using extra fuel, which then detonates in the exhaust because it’s not burning as it should.
4. You Have To Stop for Gas A Lot
Your car typically starts using more fuel than usual when there’s a problem under the hood. So, if one of your coils is faulty, you might have to stop for gas a lot more often than you used to.
5. You Can’t Get Your Car to Run Smoothly
If your car won’t run smoothly no matter how many times you stop the engine and restart it, change your oil, or do other forms of DIY maintenance, then the engine is probably misfiring. This makes your car shake while idling and jerk or sputter while you’re driving. A bad coil can cause your engine to misfire, and the only solution is to get that coil replaced.
6. You Can’t Accelerate Powerfully Anymore
When there’s a faulty coil in your car, it can lead to reduced power output. Because of this reduced output, your car might stall or you may have trouble accelerating powerfully.
Our service center can handle any problem your car is having and get you back on the road in no time. Stop by Bergstrom Kia Appleton in Appleton, WI today.
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.