The Right Shop to Diagnose a Faulty Ignition Coil in Your Audi in Bellingham

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Carson Wileman

Audi is designed to be a reliable, high-performance vehicle. In order to maintain its smooth ride and punchy engine, all the parts need to work together harmoniously. When there is a faulty ignition coil, this harmony is shattered. We’re going to teach you how to diagnose a faulty ignition coil, so you can know when to bring your Audi in for service and possibly prevent further damage from occurring.

How the Ignition Coil Works

The ignition coil is responsible for turning your Audi’s 12 volts that are produced from the battery into several thousand volts. This high voltage is required in order to jump the spark plug gap and ignite the air-fuel mixture in the engine.

If you have an older Audi, it may only have one ignition coil that is responsible for igniting all cylinders. On the other hand, the newer Audi’s have one ignition coil for each cylinder. Without a properly functioning ignition coil, you will have a difficult time starting your Audi if the cylinders are not getting the voltage they need to light the air-fuel mixture.

Symptoms of a Faulty Ignition Coil

If you have a faulty ignition coil, several issues can occur that may prevent you from being able to drive your Audi. Before it gets to that point, you should be aware of the symptoms to look for in order to diagnose this issue.

The first symptom that can alert you to a faulty ignition coil in your Audi is engine misfiring. The engine may misfire because the initial ignition did not complete its cycle. It may take a couple of times for your vehicle to start if the ignition coil is faulty. Drivers should always be wary of an engine that does not start on the first attempt.

The second symptom that indicates a big problem is stalling. Your Audi can stall while you are stopped at a traffic light or even stall as you are driving down the highway. Stalling will occur because the faulty ignition coils are sending irregular sparks to the cylinder. Without the proper amount of voltage, the engine’s air-fuel mixture will not ignite. This irregular voltage could happen at any moment, which means that stalling becomes unpredictable. This is dangerous for you, your passengers, and everyone on the road.

The third symptom you can use to diagnose a faulty ignition coil is the check engine light. The check engine light on the dashboard of your Audi will tell you if there are any issues happening in your engine, especially as it relates to performance. So if this light illuminates, then it could be pointing to a faulty ignition coil. If the ignition coil goes unchecked for an extended period of time, the sensors around your engine will pick up on it, alerting you through the check engine light. There are many reasons this signal will illuminate, so it is important to heed its warning and get to a shop for inspection and diagnosis.

The fourth symptom that can point to a faulty ignition coil is your Audi not starting at all. This is more likely to occur if you have an older Audi that has only one ignition coil. If the ignition coil goes completely dead, then there will be no spark to light any of the engine cylinders. This leads to a no-start condition. You’ll need to have your Audi towed to your trusted shop for repairs.

Repairing your Ignition Coil

The moment you begin to suspect that your Audi has a faulty ignition coil, it is time to bring it into your trusted technicians at Keith Cox Autobahn in Bellingham, WA. We only work with German brands, which means that all of our technicians hold up-to-date certifications and are fully-equipped to service your Audi.

When you bring your Audi into us, we will perform a thorough inspection in order to properly diagnose the faulty ignition coil and repair any other damages the coil has done. We know that your time is precious, so while working on your vehicle, we will offer you our free Car Wash service to take you where you need to go. Once complete, you will be confident that you brought your Audi to the right place for trusted repairs. Call us today for an appointment.