When it comes to car engines, the ignition coil is what makes the sparks fly. Sitting behind each spark plug, the ignition coil generates and delivers a surge of electrical voltage so the plug can ignite the fuel inside the combustion chamber. When an ignition coil malfunctions, you’ll rapidly notice the following engine and exhaust problems. A technician at your nearest Lexus dealer can quickly fix a faulty ignition coil and get your car back on the road once more.
Sluggish Acceleration
Spark plugs need to fire hundreds of times every minute to keep the engine powering along. If one of your spark plugs is suddenly starved of electricity by a bad ignition coil, it won’t fire as much and that cylinder will lose power. As a result, you’ll find it harder to accelerate, especially when driving uphill.
Worsening Gas Mileage
Sometimes, when an ignition coil fails, the engine tries to compensate by injecting even more fuel into the combustion chamber. This causes gas mileage to plummet, and you’ll find yourself stopping for gas more often.
Misfiring While Idling
When a spark plug fails to spark properly because of a malfunctioning ignition coil, the cylinder misfires. Misfiring causes the engine to cough, sputter, and vibrate awkwardly. Misfiring is usually most noticeable when you drive slowly or pause in idle at traffic lights.
Repeatedly Stalling Engine
When misfiring gets really bad, your engine power might suddenly cut out entirely. Once stalled because of a bad coil, you might also have trouble starting the engine up again.
Exhaust System Problems
Misfiring causes an excess of fuel to build up inside the combustion chamber. This fuel can start to leak back into the exhaust system or explode just as the cylinder is opening, causing loud backfiring. Sometimes, the leaking fuel ignites inside the catalytic converter, which can destroy the converter.
Thick Exhaust Smoke
When unburned fuel makes its way back into the exhaust system, it often partially ignites in the heat of the exhaust and pours out of the tailpipe in the form of black smoke. If you notice your exhaust fumes thickening with smoke, your engine is probably misfiring, and an ignition coil might be to blame.
Your Lexus Dealer in Greenwich, CT, Can Repair or Replace a Bad Coil
Faulty coils can sometimes be repaired and restored with proper cleaning. It depends on how badly damaged the coil has become. A little corrosion from moisture or carbon residue from the fuel can often be cleaned away, but a burned-out electrode or some other serious damage will likely mean the coil has to be replaced.
Visit DARCARS Lexus of Greenwich today to have your ignition coil problem solved by experienced technicians. We provide luxurious and personalized customer service as befits discerning Lexus car drivers.
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