What Causes Ignition Coils To Keep Going Bad? (Top 6 Causes)

There are affiliate links on this article. If you make a purchase through any of the links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Ignition coils are among the most neglected “important” components that make modern cars move. Once they get damaged, your car engine may stall, and you may notice other unusual driving issues.

But what causes ignition coils to keep going bad? There are many reasons why an ignition coil may fail, including engine overheating, excessive pressure on the coil caused by faulty spark plugs, and fuel injector issues.

Basically, ignition coils don’t just get spoiled; they get damaged when some other components surrounding them go bad.

So, how do you know an ignition coil is about to go bad, and what can you do to see that your ignition coils don’t keep going bad?

What Causes Ignition Coils To Keep Going Bad?

What Causes Ignition Coils To Keep Going Bad

If you find yourself changing your ignition coils quite too frequently, you should check the current state of your spark plugs and fuel injectors. However, below are the major causes of this issue.

1. Worn Out or Bad Spark Plugs

This is one of the main reasons why your ignition coils burn or get damaged. A bad or worn-out spark plug produces higher resistance, which in turn increases the amount of voltage outputted to your ignition coils.

Apparently, high voltages can burn the ignition coils or melt the insulation. The insulation used in ignition coils cannot survive up to 35,000 volts.

2. Bad Fuel Injectors

Although cases where the fuel injectors are the cause of constant failing of ignition coils are rare, clogged or bad fuel injectors can actually cause this issue to occur.

That said, if you keep burning out your ignition coils even after replacing the spark plugs, check your fuel injectors and clean them. Also, look out for vacuum leaks and fix them too.

3. Excessive Spark Plug Gap

As crazy as it may sound, this is one of the major culprits that cause your ignition coils to burn constantly.

If the gap on your spark plus is more than specified, it could cause more pressure on the ignition coils and thus cause them to fail or damage.

To get the exact gap specifications for the spark plugs used in your vehicle, check the spark plug’s manufacturer manual. Whether the spark plug is new or old, it is important to keep the gap at the recommended level.

4. Overheating

Overheating is not a good thing at all. If your engine is overheating, you need to act fast. When the engine bay is excessively heated up, it could cause most rubber components to melt or explode.

Ignition coils are flexible and would definitely melt when subjected to excessive heat. If overheating is the cause, you should stop buying new ignition coils and fix the cause(s) of the overheating.

Well, overheating is mainly caused by a lack of oil or leaks. Once you fix the cause, you might as well have fixed the ignition coil replacement issues. Notwithstanding, there could be other causes of engine overheating.

5. You’re Using The Wrong Ignition Cable

While ignition cables may look alike, they are not the same. When buying a new ignition coil, ensure that you’re buying the one for your car.

Ask the seller to know the voltage of the coil you’re about to buy; if you use an incompatible ignition coil, definitely, it’d burn pretty soon.

6. Improper Wiring

For sure, when the wiring is not done properly, it affects virtually all the components in the engine bar. Wiring errors can cause additional resistance, which can lead to higher temperatures even at low engine speeds.

Common Signs of a Failing Ignition Coil

When you start seeing or experiencing any of these signs, it is advisable to have your car checked up for possible ignition coil failure.

There could be other signs, but these are the commonest to check out for. Interestingly, ignition coils are expensive to replace, but replacing them frequently can never be a convenient situation for anyone.

Hopefully, this article explains the answer(s) you seek; however, if it doesn’t, kindly drop a comment, and we’d get back to you in a jiffy. Have a great day ahead.

Scroll to Top