What are the symptoms of ignition system failure?
2 Answers
Ignition system failure manifests in the following ways: 1. Difficulty starting: Mainly characterized by trouble during initial startup, normal idling, and the vehicle stalling easily when starting on an incline. 2. Engine misfire: Mainly characterized by the vehicle operating without issues at idle and low speeds, but beginning to shake after continuous high-speed driving for a period. 3. Engine shaking when the vehicle is stopped: Mainly characterized by the engine shaking when the vehicle is stopped at traffic lights. 4. Weak engine acceleration: Mainly characterized by difficulty starting when the engine is cold, followed by idling shaking, weak acceleration, and a noticeable increase in fuel consumption after startup. 5. Engine failure to start: Mainly characterized by the starter motor turning but the engine failing to start during ignition. 6. Intermittent weak acceleration and automatic stalling: Mainly characterized by the engine sometimes experiencing weak acceleration or automatically stalling while driving at low speeds (40~60 km/h).
I've driven many cars, and ignition system issues are particularly noticeable. At first, the engine becomes very difficult to start, requiring prolonged key turning before it fires up, especially during cold winter starts which may take several attempts. When driving, the engine shakes violently with jerky acceleration, completely lacking power, making hill climbing or overtaking difficult. Idling is even worse, with unstable RPMs fluctuating up and down, and the car may suddenly stall at red lights, requiring restart. Fuel consumption also increases significantly due to unburned fuel wastage, with full tanks lasting much shorter distances. The check engine warning light on the dashboard usually illuminates as an indicator. Long-term neglect may burn out spark plugs or ignition coils, even damaging the catalytic converter, causing repair costs to skyrocket. It's recommended to have it checked by professionals at the first sign of trouble to prevent major issues.
