Bad Ignition Coil Symptoms And How to Fix Detailed Guide [ 2024]

July 29, 2024 by Shashank Jain

An ignition coil is the heart of any motor as it is the very base without which it cannot run. Just like our heart, an ignition coil is the heart of the motor that makes the motor function. It jumps starts the motor by providing it with the needed power a sudden thrust of power is provided by it. So what will happen if the coil is bad and is not working?

Simply the motor will give away. That is why we will tell you all about a bad coil and some of the bad ignition coil symptoms that will help you prevent the failure of the car.

What Is an Engine Coil?

Before we jump into the discussion of how it works and what are the probable symptoms of its failure, we’d like to discuss what it is. An engine coil is the ignition system that makes one automobile run without any problem. It makes the automobile start the inhibition as the coil helps the battery transform its low voltage into a high one which thrusts the power into making the motor work.

It creates an electric spark that makes the automobile work. Creating the spark ignites the fuel which makes it work. Now the engine coil has two types of wiring. The first one is the internal wire which is seen the most and the second one is the external wire which is not that much seen in the coil.

Now the wires will first go to the distributor from which the wires will then go to the spark plugs which are known as high-tension leads. Most of the ignition coil that is used now in the automobile has an electronic ignition system that takes help from the power transistor to help it power the whole thing.

What Does The Ignition Coil Do?

The ignition system is the very thing that decides whether the car will work or not. The ignition system gets the electricity running through the wire up to the spark plugs which drives down the power to the socket creating the thrust of power that files the whole automobile by making it functional. Without it, the car won’t work. However the automobile that is run by diesel does not need this particular ignition system as it will create a reaction.

Your automobile needs to have a properly functional ignition system but if you see ignition coil failure symptoms then the whole automobile won’t start working. The whole system will collapse. But worry not, we will tell you what those symptoms are so that you can prevent it and replace it before getting stranded in a busy road.

How To Tell if The Ignition Coil Is Bad?

The ignition coil is an important part of the automobile. So to. make sure that it is working fine we have to know what are the conditions or so to say symptoms that would make the ignition coil go bad. Here are some of the symptoms that will tell you if they have gone bad.

Have you ever seen your engine light going on and off after you have taken your car for a drive? If you have then it is a sign that your ignition system is faulty. As it is the system that makes the ignition system of the automobile functional so this thing is the only rational thing that could tell you that it is going bad.

If the tank of the car is not always filled then it could lead to a poor MAF system which will continually fall and fall. If the engine filter is dirty then your fuel filter problem could also lead to the failure of the coils. If the coil is not getting enough power through the fuel then it will not create combustion. If that is the case then you will see your coil not working at all whenever the fuel level is at low.

If the engine is idle, meaning if you have not taken your car for a little ride known and then, the engine of the car may freeze and not work properly. As the idling may cause the engine of the coil system to die out properly from lack of functionality.

Are you trying to start your engine multiple times without any fruition? It is time to rule out the failure of the ignition coil and the less battery power as the cause of such a thing. Depending on the time that your car takes to start functioning properly defines the number of coils that have stopped working. The longer the time, the more it is in number.

If the winding, be it primary or secondary, is unattended and has gotten damaged then it will not create the same amount of voltage while trying to generate the spark plug without any problem. If it does not create more power then it will create a deficiency in the paper of the ignition system which will cause the downfall of the whole system…

Have problems during acceleration? Cannot accelerate your car to your heart’s content? It is because of the lack of power that the wires are bearing down to the spark plug that is creating low power in the ignition system. So having an acceleration crisis is one of the signs of a bad ignition coil.

If you see your car making a lot of hydrocarbon emissions which is generally very harmful to the environment then it will be because of the bad ignition system.

Can you smell the gas coming from your car? If yes then try to locate the source and if you locate it in the exhaust pipe then know it is the result of the failure of the fuel that did not fully combust will create a bad smell which is not only alarming but is very much noticeable too.

All these symptoms are the same as those of BMW ignition coil failure symptoms, even those of Ford Taurus ignition coil symptoms, and even Jeep ignition coil symptoms. What I mean to say is that all these symptoms that are mentioned here could be noticed in any of the automobiles disregarding the fact of how expensive it is.

What Could Happen if You Ignore These Bad Coil Pack Symptoms?

If you continue to ignore these bad coils and the symptom that is very evidently showing in your car through all these emissions and sparks and engine lights, it will result in something bad. If you keep ignoring these results then the ignition system won’t get started easily. In that sense, a mini-explosion may occur.

When the spark plugs don’t get sparked properly due to lack of fuel which doesn’t burn in the fuel chamber it generates a thrust of power. When all these are mixed together and enter into the exhaustion pipe trying to create more power, it makes the power get erupt and could cause a mini-explosion. So leaving your car with less fuel every time and not taking care of the coil when it is needed could lead you to experience a bad explosion.

How to Test Your Coil?

You can test your coil in this easy way. And all you would need to test it is an Inductive type ignition analyzer. Follow the steps to know how to do it.

Wielding an Inductive type ignition analyzer one can easily test the coil activation in no time at all. But it depends on the model of your tester that you are using to check ignition coil activation, the spark plug duration time, how much coil output voltage is put, even the graphing of the action and the pattern of the ignition coil.

The incredible benefit of this particular analyzer is that all you will only need is to “touch” the coil that you want to test it on. Just touch in the coil that you think is wrong and by using the inductive technological mastery it will tell you whether it is bad or not.

The result is primarily very accurate and has no bad effect. You don’t have to go to a great length to test it. All you need is a tester which is a handy tool.

How Much Does It Cost to Have It Replaced?

The cost of the coil costs around $30 to $100. The cost heightens when someone comes to fit it up as many other charges are added to it. When you take your car to the garage and give it for servicing the charges might increase.

A coil for an expensive car like BMW will cost more than the one that is not that pricey. Depending on the car, the coil will cost. Here is a list consisting of the price for the coil.

Ford F-Series- $800 – $1200
Chevrolet Silverado- $950 – $1475
Ford Focus- $100 – $180
Toyota Camry- $400 – $610
Toyota Corolla- $212 – $370
Nissan Altima – $590 – $990
Honda CR-V- $100 – $200
Honda Civic- $100 – $195
Honda Accord- $290 – $655
Ford Fusion- $820 – $1000
PT Cruiser- $180 – $220
Lexus RX300- $760 – $860
Nissan Pathfinder- $120 – $350
Subaru Impreza- $220 – $33

How to Replace a Coil if You See the Bad One Out?

By following the steps you can easily save all the money and have it done yourself.

Turn off the ignition coil first.
Disconnect the vehicle battery.
Now you have to disconnect the negative terminal
The connector will have a plastic tab on the above, now while pulling out the harness, you have to push outward. If there is any security clip there then you have to remove it.
Many of the COP has a cap to protect the coil. Now remove the cap.
Two bolts will be attached to the coil.
Now remove the coil and install the new one there.
Now reconnect the coil with the battery.
Connect it with the battery terminal.
Now use the OBD2 code reader to clear out the ECU memory.
After that, you will be getting in on KOEO.
Now you have to try to drive the car for a bit longer as a bit of test drive.

How to Prevent the Coil from Burning Down?

There are a few steps that you can follow to not have that coil of yours burnt down.

Try to fill up the engine all the time. If there is any financial problem then try to do it every other time.
Make it apparent to have the car serviced once in a while if you cannot do it at home.
Try to make sure that you try to have it maintained

Failure In The Ignition System Is Slowing You Down	Discussion
What is an engine coil?	It is an ignition system that charges your automobile
What does the ignition coil do?	It helps your automobile to ignite by thrusting energy.
How to tell if the ignition coil is bad?	There are a few symptoms that will tell you all about it. To know, read the article.
What could happen if you ignore these bad coil pack symptoms?	It could lead to a mini-explosion.
How to test your coil?	With the help of the tester, you can check it.
How much does it cost to have it replaced?	The cost varies depending on the automobile brand. Check to know how much.
How to replace a coil if you see the bad one out?	The DIY step to step method is written in this article. Read up
How to prevent the coil from burning down?	The prevention steps are written down. Read to know.

Conclusion: Making sure that your car is all right and done is very important. By ignoring the symptoms of the ignition failure you could end up in an explosion that could be fatal. It will not only increase the charges but could pose a danger to your life. So if you see such symptoms regarding the failure of the ignition system, do not avoid it.