Problems with our cars can lead to serious disruptions to our day to day lives. It's easy to take our cars for granted when they are working just fine but when a problem hits, it can be become an inconvenicence rightaway and throw things out of order.

Even something as simple as a trip to the grocery store becomes difficult when you no longer have your trusty car to rely on. You might have to consider taking the bus to work until your car comes back from the shop.

One common issue for car owners is a faulty ignition coil but not everyone knows how to check theirs. By maintaining control over the minor parts in our vehicles, we can prevent an untimely problem. That means fewer disruptions, which, let's be real, always happen at the worst possible time.

Please note: if you have any doubts about the process, please consult a professional.

We have put together a useful guide to ensure you'll always know if your ignition coil is in tip-top shape or not. Let's check out how to test an ignition coil at home.

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Spotting A Faulty Ignition Coil

Car Ignition Button.
Wikimedia Commons

Ignition coils are essential for vehicles to turn over and start. They convert our cars' 12V into several thousand to give the engine the jolt it needs to kick into life.

Symptoms of a faulty ignition coil include engine misfiring, loss of power, or that your car simply won't start. Another sign the ignition coil isn't working correctly is the check engine light on the dash.

Engine coils are subjected to high levels of heat under the hood of our vehicles due to their proximity to the engine. Prolonged exposure to such high heat causes ignition coils to burn out or become more resistant to an electric charge. Either way, the moment the ignition coil starts to fail, it's best to get it repaired before your car develops major engine problems.

How To Test An Ignition Coil: Method One

Toolbox
Via Unsplash

Like with most vehicle repairs, the best base to start from is with your vehicle in park and the engine off. Lift the hood and locate your car's ignition coil. Typically this is found near the front fender or on a bracket where the distributor is. If your vehicle doesn't have a distributor then the ignition coil will have the spark plugs directly connected to it.

Carefully remove one of the spark plug wires from its plug using insulated tools and gloves. Then remove the spark plug with the use of a spark plug socket, taking care not to drop anything into the hole you have just exposed. Anything entering this hole, including debris, can damage the engine so it's best to cover it with a rag or cloth.

With the spark plug still removed from its home, reconnect it to the spark plug wire. Hold the spark plug with insulated wires to avoid an electric shock. Touch the threaded part of the exposed spark plug to any piece of metal in the engine.

The next step is to remove the fuel pump relay to ensure the engine doesn't start but a spark will still be generated from the plug. If unsure how to remove the fuel pump relay consult your manual. Have someone else crank the engine and be on the lookout for a blue spark.

A blue spark indicates that the ignition coil is working. Orange sparks are a sign that there isn't enough power being supplied to the plugs from the ignition coil, and zero sparks mean nothing is generated. Reinstall the detached spark plug.

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How To Test An Ignition Coil With A Digital Multimeter

Multimeter
Via: Unsplash

Another way to test a car's ignition coil is by using a digital multimeter. Before lifting the hood of your car, it's best to consult your manual which should indicate the correct resistance reading of the coil. Locate the coil under the hood and disconnect its wiring harness; typically one or bolts hold it in place.

Ignition coils have two circuits that require checking; primary and secondary circuits. Connect the multimeter to the negative and positive terminals of the ignition coil to get a primary circuit reading.

If the multimeter shows a reading of 0 ohms, the ignition coil has shorted and needs replacing. If the multimeter's reading is above the range stated in the car's manual, the ignition coil is not complete and it also requires replacing.

To test the secondary circuit of the ignition coil connect the positive pin of the multimeter to the positive terminal. Also, attach the multimeter to the high output terminal that connects to the spark plug.

Once again, refer to the car manual for the expected electrical output from the spark plugs but a base range is between 6,000 and 10,000 ohms. Like the primary circuit, a reading outside of the desired range indicates there is a problem with the ignition coil. Once the ignition coil, or coils, has been tested, replace any faulty ones and take your car for a test drive to ensure it's working properly once more.

What To Do If Your Ignition Coil Is Faulty

Car Engine
Via Wikimedia Commons

After following the previous steps, you will now know if your ignition coil is faulty or not. The first step if you aren't confident about fixing the issue yourself is to simply take your vehicle to the shop.

If you wish to tackle the problem yourself the first thing to do is to turn the ignition off and locate the coil. Unplug the coil's electric connector before carefully unscrewing the bolts that secure it in its place. Delicately pick up the coil from its location and swap it out for a new one.

Before placing the new coil in the mounting, we recommend spraying di-electric grease to the coil and mount to prevent corrosion. Tighten the bolts back up once the new coil is in place and put the electric connector back. Finally, reconnect the diagnostics tool to clear any engine code faults from the system.

It's good practice to take your car on a test drive once the replacement coil is installed to ensure everything is running smoothly once again. If your ignition coil isn't faulty then it's a case of running further diagnostics on your car to find the source of the issue.