8 Signs Your Volkswagen Has a Faulty Ignition Coil

May 21, 2023

The ignition coil lies at the very heart of a car’s internal combustion process. The ignition coil supplies the charge that allows the spark plug to ignite the fuel and power your car. So when an ignition coil fails to do its job, your car will immediately run into all kinds of problems. Here are eight clear symptoms of a faulty ignition coil that should prompt you to visit our Volkswagen service center in Fayetteville, NC.

Your Engine Is Losing Power

When the supply of electricity to a spark plug dries up, that cylinder will stop firing. So any failure of an ignition coil to deliver voltage causes an instant fall in engine power.

Your Fuel Economy Is Dropping

When an ignition coil stops working, you’ll also find yourself stopping to refill your gas tank more frequently. Whichever cylinder is affected by the malfunctioning coil will still be attempting to use fuel, but that fuel won’t be burning as efficiently as before, if at all.

Your Car Is Struggling To Start

When you turn on the engine, a burst of electricity is required from the battery to power the starter. Then a strong and steady flow of voltage needs to transmit through the ignition coils to get the engine going. A faulty coil might interrupt this flow voltage, especially on cold mornings, and make it hard for your engine to start.

Your Engine Is Misfiring

A faulty coil means a faulty spark plug, which causes that cylinder to misfire. Misfiring causes an engine to cough and shudder as it struggles to operate.

Your Check Engine Light Comes On

All of these engine problems resulting from a bad ignition coil will usually be picked up by the engine’s sensors. This will cause the check engine light to come alive on your instrument panel.

You Hear Backfiring

When a cylinder misfires, some fuel goes unburned. This unburned fuel can build up inside the cylinder, fouling the spark plug and worsening the problem.

The unburned fuel also leads to off-rhythm ignition, meaning the excess fuel may ignite just as the cylinder is opening, causing a loud backfire. And if the unburned fuel leaks back into the exhaust system it will sometimes cause further, even louder backfiring.

You See Black Exhaust Smoke

When excess fuel makes its way back into the exhaust system, it sometimes ignites inside the catalytic converter, destroying the cat. If this occurs, you’ll see black smoke pouring from your car’s tailpipe.

Your VW Dealer Diagnoses an Ignition Problem

During a servicing checkup, a technician will often test your car’s engine. They’ll quickly pick up on any ignition problems that you may have missed. And they may need to recommend a new ignition coil or two.

Visit Valley Auto World Volkswagen to have your vehicle’s ignition coils examined today. We offer great vehicles, great services, and our number one priority is customer satisfaction.