Coil, also known as ignition coils, are among the hundreds of parts forming up vehicle engines. No single party in a machine can be faulty, and the engine usually operates. All parts must be up and running at all times, or else you might be in for a rude shock. The coil parks are responsible for firing up the engine when turning on the ignition. Without them fully functioning, you are not moving an inch! This article will look deeper into the ignition coil, how they function, and whether they can be covered under a powertrain warranty.
What is a powertrain warranty?
Unfortunately, most of you reading this might not be familiar with the term “Powertrain warranty” Powertrain warranty is a term used by extended warranty providers and those who have extended warranty; the word is not new to them. To first know what a powertrain warranty is, you must begin with an “ extended warranty.”
An extended warranty is a contract sold to the dealership’s buyer that covers the vehicles from unforeseen costly repairs. This contract usually comes in once the factory warranty has expired. Remember, the factory warranty comes with any brand-new car. It covers your vehicle for not less than 36,000 miles and to 80,000 miles.
The factory warranty coverage doesn’t come with many options, and the plan cannot be modified in any way. Gladly, after the coverage period is due, you can now head over and purchase an extended warranty. Extended warranties come in different forms and a broad scope of plans.
Types of extended warranties.
Extended warranties come in three main types. We have; Powertrain warranty, a Bumper bumper warranty, and the components warranty.
Bumper-to-bumper warranty
A bumper warranty covers lots of parts within a vehicle. That is all parts from the rear to the Front Bumper. It is the most expensive form of extended warranty due to its broad scope of coverage area. It covers even the components included in a powertrain warranty. However, this type of warranty does not cover the wear and tear parts of a vehicle, such as the wipers blades, clutch pads, tires, and brake pads.
Powertrain warranty.
Powertrain parts of a car are involved in the power and drivability of the vehicle. They included the engine, axle, suspension, camshaft, and the transmission system. These parts from the most expensive ones to repair due to their nature.
Coils packs, parts of an engine, are also included in a powertrain warranty coverage.
Corrosion warranty
The corrosion warranty is responsible for covering any parts within a vehicle that are exposed to rust. That is the body panel at large and other metallic parts of the car.
Accessory warranty.
Any extra accessories within the car are also entitled to coverage by the accessory warranty.
How coil packs work
Bet you might be asking yourself how a coil pack works? Well, further below is a clear and straightforward explanation of how the small but crucial part in an engine works magic;
The working principle behind an ignition coil’s functioning is simple and easy. It works by converting the 12 volts from the car’s battery into over 45,000 volts. It then relays the current onto the spark plug, which gets hotter and can burn fuel inside the cylinder. Once the process is complete, it’s when now the Engine fires and roars up.
Signs of a faulty ignition coil
Once you notice the following signs, you must ensure you’ve checked your ignition coil;
Engine misfiring.
This happens more often when the ignition needs a check-up or replacement. You will notice the ignition not being as flawless as before. Also, as you drive, the engine begins to jerk and produce weird noises. What causes the problem is a faulty ignition coil that isn’t giving sufficient power to the spark plug.
Once the spark plus doesn’t receive enough power, the pistons won’t fire up well; therefore, no combustion happens. When misfiring happens for long, the situation may escalate until the engine completely stalls.
Heat dissipation and oil leaks.
Engine oil is an essential fluid in a vehicle’s engine responsible for cooling down the engine due to overheating. However, when the ignition coil is broken, too much heat generates, it cracks the housing where oil is stored and leads to leaks.
Backfires.
You might have once heard a loud bang on the rear end of your exhaust pipe. This is a problem caused by a faulty ignition coil. Once the ignition coil develops problems, the engine’s entire combustion process also gets affected. Inside the cylinder, the pistons fail to ignite the fuel entering, which then flows out of the machine.
Once in contact with the exhaust pipe and catalytic converter, the fuel explodes, creating that bizarre loud bang.
Engine light warning
Once you see an engine light warning on your dashboard, it is a sign that things are south. Many suspects are causing the warning light, with the ignition coil being one of them. However, for assurance, you must never ignore such warning lights and head straight to a mechanic.
Engine stall.
This happens when you try to ignite the vehicle, and all you hear is a click sound as you the key or press the power button. The case is likely to be an ignition coil problem, especially when the battery is fully charged and the engine is not turning on. That means that the current from the coil pack is not reaching the spark plugs. Happens a lot to vehicles with only one ignition coil.
Conclusion
An ignition coil or coil park are components within the engine that have an enormous impact on drivability. They must never be ignored or underrated in whichever form. Once your vehicles have a faulty coil pack, you are in trouble.
Once you notice the signs above, do not hesitate to take your vehicle to a technician. On top of that, you choose to secure an extended warranty and get the component covered under the powertrain warranty.