Spark plugs are at the core of the combustion process, igniting the fuel hundreds of times each minute to generate the engine’s power. While modern spark plugs are highly durable, these hard-working little components eventually wear out and need to be replaced. Here are the key warning signs that you should head to your local Ford dealership for prompt spark plug replacement.
Falling Engine Power
Without all cylinders firing away properly, bad spark plugs cause the engine to rapidly lose power. You’ll find it more difficult to accelerate quickly and you’ll no longer be able to reach top speeds on the highway.
Coughing and Shaking Engine
As a spark plug fails, it ignites the fuel increasingly sporadically, and eventually, not at all. This spark plug failure is misfiring, which makes the engine sputter and shudder strangely, clearly struggling to keep going.
Roughness While Idling
When waiting at an intersection, your idling engine is under more pressure than usual. If one or more spark plugs are misfiring, this idling will become rough as your engine tries to stay alive. It might even stall.
Knocking Sounds
When healthy, spark plugs ignite the fuel in perfect rhythm with the opening and closing cylinders. But when a spark plug starts to misfire, the fuel can ignite too early or late, which creates a distinct knocking sound, and sometimes loud backfiring.
Hesitant Engine Starts
Without all spark plugs working properly, your engine might become slow to start in the mornings. This issue will become even worse during winter when the battery, starter, and engine are already under more strain from the cold.
Worsening Fuel Efficiency
Bad spark plugs cause an engine to become less efficient overall. You’ll be traveling less far for each gallon of gas you use. And over time, your gas mileage will get considerably worse until you have the fault fixed.
Smoke in the Exhaust Fumes
When a failing spark plug doesn’t ignite all the fuel that’s being injected into the combustion chamber, this unburned fuel can start leaking back into the exhaust pipes. Therein, the fuel will often ignite or partially ignite, turning into thick black smoke, which you’ll notice pouring out of the tailpipe.
Get Prompt Spark Plug Replacement at Your Local Ford Dealership
If your spark plugs need attention, don’t delay with repairs lest the problem worsens and causes more faults in other areas of your car. Our experienced technicians can quickly diagnose the cause of your failing plugs, carrying out necessary repairs and replacements.
Visit Auffenberg Ford, Inc. in Belleville, IL, today to have your spark plugs replaced and your engine tuned up. At our local full-service dealership, you can find a broad inventory of top-notch vehicles plus comprehensive automotive maintenance and repairs.
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