6 Signs Your Car Needs New Spark Plugs

Is your engine struggling, sometimes failing to start, no longer accelerating with quite the same punch? You may need to have a new spark plug installed. Spark plugs play a key role in the engine, providing the sparks that ignite the fuel inside each cylinder. If you notice the following signs of a faulty spark plug, head to your local CDJR dealership in Bedford, PA for a prompt replacement. 

Check Engine Light

Modern cars are filled with a network of sensors that allow for quick detection of engine issues. Even before you detect the symptoms of a problematic spark plug, the check engine light may appear on your dashboard. The earlier you replace a failing spark plug, the less likely your engine and other car parts will suffer damage, so always respond to this warning light.

Coughing and Shuddering Engine

When one or more plugs fail to properly ignite the fuel as it’s pumped into the combustion chambers, the engine will cough, sputter, shake, and shudder. These signs of misfiring are hard to miss, especially when idling or attempting to drive at high speeds.

Sluggish Acceleration

Higher speeds will become difficult to reach with at least one malfunctioning spark plug. To generate full power, the engine requires all cylinders to fire at maximum capacity. With one or more cylinders hampered by a failing plug, you may struggle to overtake other vehicles or cross busy intersections in time. 

Trouble Starting the Engine 

The engine might become slow to turn over in the morning with one or more bad plugs. This problem will typically become worse during winter. On particularly cold mornings, your engine might even refuse to start at all. 

Falling Fuel Efficiency 

When one or more plugs fail to ignite the fuel properly, much of this unburned fuel is wasted, simply collecting inside the combustion chamber rather than generating engine power. The result is dropping fuel efficiency; you’ll be stopping much more frequently for gas. 

Black Exhaust Smoke 

With a malfunctioning spark plug, the unburned fuel building up inside the combustion chamber may start escaping into the exhaust pipes. Therein, the fuel will often ignite, causing backfiring and black smoke to emerge from the tailpipe. 

Quickly Replace Your Bad Plugs in Bedford, PA

It’s usually straightforward to fix a failing spark plug. Our technicians might occasionally clean or repair a fouled or damaged plug, but more often, they’ll need to install a new one. The key is to catch and fix this issue early on before it leads to additional faults inside the engine or exhaust system. 

Visit Bedford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Bedford, PA today to have your failing plugs replaced, and other maintenance or repair services promptly carried out by courteous, experienced professionals. 

Tags: auto service, CDJR Dealer Bedford PA, spark plug service
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