One of the indicators that your spark plug has gone bad is the car having trouble starting or if it's not working as efficiently as you want it to when it does start and run. Rather, one of the key causes of failing to start your car or reduced vehicular function roots from having bad spark plugs.
Before inspecting your spark plugs, you should be aware of the common indicators that showcase that there's something wrong with them. This way, if these symptoms are absent, you can conclude that something else is causing your car to not work as intended.
The Symptoms of Spark Plug Malfunction
- Slow Acceleration: Your car's acceleration ability tends to slow down when you have bad spark plugs. This is because when the different materials of the spark plug that work together to produce the sparks wear out, the plug itself will stop working.
- Low Fuel Economy: When a car's spark plugs are running smoothly, it achieves better fuel economy. Therefore, when the spark plugs are faulty, it becomes less efficient at combusting the fuel, leading to less power and more wastage. You may want to replace your plugs i fyou want to ensure efficient fuel burning every time.
- Issues with Kick Off: If you have trouble kicking off your vehicle, then your spark plugs might be worn down. Your car might not be able to start because of spark plugs but it can also be caused by other issues in your vehicle, like a busted ignition system.
- Engine Misfires: When your car sporadically produces a popping sound from its engine, that's known as a misfire. One of the probable causes of engine misfires is a worn down spark plug or several, specifically one with a damaged plug tip that connects to the wire or the plug wire itself is frayed.
How to Check Spark Plugs
You need to check the plugs themselves in order to identify what's wrong with them or if they require replacement. After confirming the warning signs from your vehicle that you have worn-out spark plugs, here's what you need to do in order to check out their health.
- Spark Plug Checkup: Go open your hood and see if they're properly placed or wired. Perhaps they're only dislodged and require better placement. Maybe they're busted altogether.
- Thorough Checking: Watch out because some plugs might look like they're all right but you can't be sure until you check them out thoroughly.
- Put Everything Back: Remember to put everything back after changing your worn spark plugs, because your car won't properly work without everything back to the way they were.
In most cases, you can replace the spark plugs in order to solve the mentioned problems. However, spark plug replacement isn't enough to change a damaged component in the ignition system or a worn-out piston ring. If the problems persist, consult your mechanic.