What Can Go Wrong with Your Volkswagen’s Ignition Coil?
by schearerswpadmin February 23, 2020When the ignition coil fails in your Volkswagen, you are going to notice some annoying symptoms pretty quickly, such as misfires and power loss. Over a period of time, a faulty ignition coil in your Volkswagen will also take a toll on other parts, such as the spark plugs. To unravel this problem, let’s look at the 3 types of ignition coils, what causes their failure, and discuss how you can tell if total failure has occurred in your Volkswagen.
Dual, Four Spark, and Single Spark Ignition Coils
In layman’s terms, the ignition coil is a small transformer. Its purpose is to change low-voltage electricity from the battery into high-voltage electricity for use by the spark plugs. The ignition coil is made up of several parts including an iron core, electrical connections, and a primary and secondary winding. There are 3 different types of ignition coil used in modern cars:
Dual Spark Ignition Coil
A dual spark ignition coil can only be used in engines that possess an even number of cylinders like a V8 or V12. Dual spark coils have 2 connections on each winding.
Four Spark Ignition Coil
This type of coil only features in 4-cylinder engines. Four-spark ignition coils have 2 primary windings which can be triggered by the engine control unit. They also only have 1 secondary winding and 2 spark plug connections at each output.
Single Spark Ignition Coils
You will find single-spark ignition coils in systems that have a primary and a secondary wiring assigned to each individual cylinder. They will be installed at the head of the cylinder above the spark plug.
Common Causes of Ignition Coil Failure
There are four common causes of ignition coil failure in your Volkswagen:
1. Internal Short Circuits
The ignition coil commonly short circuits because it has overheated. This can happen due to age, problems with modules, or issues with the electronic control unit’s output stage.
2. Problems with the Voltage Supply
The ignition coils will be less effective and take longer to charge if the coil receives an inadequate voltage supply. This is commonly caused by wear or when the ignition coil gets overloaded. A weak battery or faulty wires can contribute to this problem.
3. Mechanical Damage
When either the valve cover gasket fails or the ignition cables become damaged, the risk of spark over and accelerated wear will increase greatly.
4. Contact Faults
Humidity in your engine created by liquid left behind by engine washing can cause contact faults to occur.
Common Occurrences when your Ignition Coil Fails
When your ignition coil fails you can expect to experience a variety of problems such as:
Misfiring Engine, Rough Idling, and Power Loss
Because the ignition coils work to help achieve successful combustion, when they go on the fritz, you will notice your engine becomes much less reliable and its overall performance decreases. Expect to experience misfires and rough idling, too.
Illumination of the Check Engine Light
The illumination of the engine management light (EML) can signal a variety of problems in your car, including those involving the ignition coils. However, as this warning light can be caused by a variety of other problems, you should always bring your VW into the specialists for diagnostics as soon as you seen the EML illuminate.
Your Volksagen Wont Start
When your ignition coil completely fails, your engine will not start. Without the proper function of the ignition coils, the spark plugs won’t be provided with the electricity they need to ignite your fuel, resulting in a no-start condition.
Visit Schearer’s Sales & Service to Fix Ignition Coil Failure
To avoid being caught out by sudden ignition coil failure, you should always respond to the early warning signs as soon as possible. Catching automotive problems early is always the best solution because it means that the problem is likely to be caught while it’s still minor and needs very little effort to fix. It also makes your repair more affordable than a problem that develops into damage to other parts down the road.
Schearer’s Sales and Service is perfectly located to service drivers of the Allentown, Bethlehem, and Macungie, PA areas. We offer high-quality service, affordable pricing, and quick turnaround times. Call us today for an appointment at your convenience.