What are the symptoms of a faulty ignition wire?
4 Answers
Symptoms of a damaged ignition wire are as follows: 1. Insufficient power: The car lacks strength when going uphill, and the engine noise is noticeably louder. 2. Jerky acceleration: Occasionally feels a jerk when accelerating above 80 km/h, with occasional jerks at speeds around 80 and between 100-120 km/h, resulting in an unsteady acceleration. 3. Increased fuel consumption: Noticeably higher fuel usage, with black soot at the exhaust pipe outlet. This can cause mild or severe gear shifting issues. Sometimes the car fails to start and requires a bit of throttle to start. Note: When the car reaches a certain mileage, spark plugs will develop carbon deposits, and the electrode gap will increase. Carbon deposits will increase engine fuel consumption, and an increased spark plug gap can cause difficulty in starting.
Last time my car's ignition wire was broken, it was so uncomfortable to drive! The engine was shaking like a tractor, and the steering wheel was dancing at red lights. It was especially noticeable when stepping on the accelerator—the power felt stuck, and the car jerked forward. The fuel consumption also suddenly increased, and a full tank of gas was almost empty in just a few days. The most annoying part was that the engine warning light suddenly came on. Later, at the repair shop, they found that the ignition in the third cylinder was faulty. The mechanic said that leakage in the ignition wire could cause the spark plugs to malfunction, and in severe cases, it could even damage the ignition coil. He suggested checking the outer rubber of the ignition wire monthly for cracks.
My old car has been having issues with the spark plug wires recently, with quite varied symptoms. Cold starts are particularly difficult, requiring multiple attempts to fire up, and it suddenly stalls when warmed up. The tachometer fluctuates erratically at idle, and the shaking worsens when the AC is turned on. On highway inclines, there's a noticeable lack of power—even flooring the accelerator doesn't help speed up. The exhaust pipe makes popping sounds, emits black smoke, and the exhaust smells terrible. The mechanic pulled out the spark plug wires to test the resistance and found the values out of range. He said aging spark plug wires can cause unstable high-voltage current transmission, which not only affects performance but can also damage the catalytic converter. If not replaced promptly, it could lead to expensive repairs.
The main symptom when my ignition wires went bad was the idle shaking like a massage chair. After starting, the steering wheel vibrates noticeably, and there's a clicking sound from the engine bay. The car jerks severely when accelerating, especially during low-speed gear shifts. The tachometer needle jumps erratically, and the check engine light flickers intermittently. On the highway, sudden acceleration becomes weak, with a several-second delay when flooring the gas pedal. The mechanic had me feel the ignition wires themselves - sure enough, one wire's insulation had hardened and cracked. He recommended replacing the entire set rather than just one wire, explaining that unbalanced resistance in ignition wires leads to faster spark plug carbon buildup.
