If you haven’t had your vehicle’s spark plugs changed in years, they could be going bad. You’ll know when they start to have trouble; we’re going to list five clear-cut and one bonus sign below. Ultimate Auto Repair can tune up your automobile when it needs it, and it needs it if it does the following.
Check Engine Warning
If you’re old enough to remember the days when automobiles didn’t have dashboard warning lights instead of looking like Christmas trees, you might long for those simpler times. The advantage of the check engine light, however, is it will illuminate if your spark plugs or wires or other vehicle systems are having trouble.
Hard Starts
The reason your vehicle will have a hard time starting if the spark plugs are bad (or misfiring) is that the combustion engine needs the spark from the plugs to fire up – literally. Usually, your automobile will stall as you’re trying to start it, or stall quickly thereafter. It will try to start, however, as long as the battery is still okay.
Low Gas Mileage
Spark plugs affect your vehicle’s gas mileage and if they’re going bad, you’ll end up at the gas station more often. This is because the vehicle is struggling to start and run due to the bad plugs. To compensate for the power loss, your car, crossover, truck, or SUV will burn more gasoline and you’ll end up filling up – a lot!
Rough Idling
Pay attention to how your vehicle idles the next time you’re stopped at a traffic signal. Turn your music off and listen. Can you hear knocking, pinging, or rattling? Notice how your vehicle feels. Is it purring like a kitten or does it feel as if the engine is sputtering and missing? These signs indicate a problem with your spark plugs or fuel pump.
Acceleration Lag
Once the light turns green, pay close attention to how your automobile accelerates when you go. Does it hesitate, sputter, or even act as if it’s going to stall? Is the acceleration sluggish when you speed up, either from a dead stop or to pick up speed? These are also signs that there’s a problem with the plugs or fuel system.
The sixth, bonus sign your spark plugs are going bad is your owner’s manual. Pull it out, check to see when the plugs need to be replaced, and then bring your vehicle into Ultimate Auto Repair in Jackson, MI, for a tune-up. Call us today.
