Plugging Away: Spark Plug Replacement

If you drive a vehicle with a gasoline engine, thank the spark plugs for igniting the gasoline/air mixture in each cylinder that keeps your vehicle running smoothly down the road every day.  Your spark plugs work hard, firing thousands of times in a well-choreographed order, and you usually don't pay much attention to them until one of them stops working the way it should.

Signs that spark plugs are wearing out include:

• Engine runs more roughly than it did

• Vehicle doesn't start as easily as it used to

• Vehicle hesitates when you press on the accelerator

• Your fuel economy has gotten worse

If spark plugs stop working altogether, you will find your engine has likely lost a lot of its power and isn't running smoothly. Your Check Engine light may come on, which means it's time to head down to Downtown Automotive to have it diagnosed.

If your plugs need to be replaced, they're usually done all at the same time. And if your vehicle has spark plug wires, experts recommend you change them as well. Different types of spark plugs last longer than others, and your service advisor at Downtown Automotive can discuss what's best for your vehicle and driving habits.

Our technicians will also determine if there are any carbon deposits on your plugs, how healthy the ignition coil is (it's the part that supplies the high-voltage jolt that makes the spark) and will look for other signs and symptoms that may point to other problems in your engine. For instance, if a spark plug is fouled by oily deposits, it's possible oil is getting into the combustion chamber. 

Our technicians will also check all the plugs to see if there are problems in just one or all cylinders. Sometimes there may be a plug that has overheated, literally melting the metal. In that case, they may recommend correcting that problem first before replacing the spark plugs.

Most spark plugs will last for a good length of time. Even if you aren't seeing any symptoms that they're wearing out, every time you bring your vehicle in to us for a service, we perform a complementary digital visual vehicle inspection to ensure your vehicle is running smooth. Our service advisors are highly skilled and  are up to speed on many vehicle manufacturer's recommended maintenance intervals.  Preventative maintenance will keep your vehicle running reliably.

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