Repair 7

Engine Coil Failure

For an ignition system to activate an engines spark plugs, a great deal of voltage is required. Engine ignition coils act as a transformer to provide the high voltage needed by a vehicles ignition system. Because engine coils can fail, having information on why this occurs can be beneficial to automobile owners.

Identification

On many vehicle engines, an ignition coil failure affects the engines cylinders. This results in the engine failing to crank or misfiring badly. However, some vehicle engine ignition systems only have one cylinder affected once engine coils have failed.

Heat/Vibration

On the inside of an ignition coil lies an iron core which has two groups of windings around it. The two are known as primary windings and secondary windings. These windings can be damaged due to excessive heat and vibration causing them to short out.

Spark Plugs

Of everything that can cause engine coils to fail, faulty spark plugs or spark plug wires are at the top of the list. Bad spark plugs cause a voltage overload which damages the engine ignition coils. This damage usually begins when voltage reaches about 35,000 volts.