The ignition system is very important in the proper functioning of the vehicle. Each of its components plays a vital role in producing the voltage required by the spark plugs for combustion. Many old vehicles have a stand-alone ignition control module. The role of an ignition control module is switching the ignition coils on and off to fire the spark plugs. This is very crucial because the engine can’t run properly unless every spark plug is fired at the very correct time. So, in this article, we will be explaining to you the bad ignition control module symptoms.
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What Are The Bad Ignition Control Module Symptoms?
The ignition module is the heart of your ignition system. Like all automobile components, the ignition module will eventually deteriorate and break. However, you can reduce these ignition module failures by recognizing them early. These are the common symptoms that you can notice.
1. Overheating
Overheating can also be a symptom of ignition module problems. Ignition modules that are overheating will soon completely stop functioning and can also cause electrical shorts, engine stuttering, gasoline odors in the exhaust. Check for the heat when the car is in a running state or turn the engine idle on for some time and tap the module.
The car might stall which you can understand that ignition control may be the cause. Cool it down with ice water or a coolant in case of emergency. This is however a temporary solution until you repair them.
2. Acceleration Issues
Poor acceleration is also a problem of a bad spark plug. When your acceleration is not smooth, your car might experience bad ignition. It might have trouble creating the spark that causes the ignition process in your vehicle. The vehicle may shake, vibrate or jerk when the gas pedals are pressed. There may be hesitation or lack of power during increases in speed.
Ultimately, your car will produce less power and it won’t start. This can also be caused by bad injectors, so have a look at these too. Replacing the spark plugs and wires can be a solution.
3. Difficulty In Starting
Another common symptom can be a no spark condition. Any combustion vehicle requires four inputs to start and drive properly. Exhaust, compression, spark, and fuel. When the ignition control fails, it gets mixed with any of the inputs and you can easily solve the problems by checking them. If the ignition module is completely failed, it will not allow your vehicle to start which is a critical problem. And your car will not run at all.
If you hear a clicking noise when you try to turn the car on, the ignition coil is working. But a bad ignition control module will not generate any power, and in turn, there will no spark for the combustion to start.
4. Check Engine Light Will Turn On
An illuminated check engine light is also a symptom of an issue with the ignition system. As you know, the check engine light is triggered whenever something is wrong within the vehicle. If the computer picks any problem with the ignition circuit then this light will come up. It can also be due to the problems related to the performances of the ignitor such as misfires.
If you have an OBD scan tool, you can put it into your ride’s OBD port to check for the error code. The possible DTCs are p0300 through P0312 used to detect misfiring. If you don’t have a proper diagnostic tool then take your vehicle to the mechanic and fix it.
5. Rough Engine
An engine misfire is usually a symptom of partial combustion. It is also called a rough engine. If the igniter fails or has any problems it can compromise the engine spark. This can lead to performance issues such as misfires and loss of power. If your engine’s fuel mixture is unable to ignite properly, this will likely happen when you are driving.
Depending on the number of defective coils, you may experience difficulty during engine start. A difficult-to-start engine can also be caused by other problems with the electrical system such as the flat battery, so it is worth ruling it out too.
How Do You Fix A Bad Ignition Control Module?
The best advantage of ignition control is that it can be fixed very easily. Replacement can be easily done by taking your vehicle to a repair shop or new car dealer and have them replace your ignition switch. The ignition switch on some vehicles is a part of an integrated anti-theft system. Ignition switch replacement involves disabling the steering column which causes airbag deployment if done wrong.
However, the difficulty level of ICM repair depends on your vehicle. Because the location of the ignition control module is different in different cars. If you notice the above symptoms in your car then have your vehicle inspected by a mechanic right away. If you are planning to replace your vehicle’s ignition control module by yourself, you also need to make sure that you have the required level of mechanical skill sets, allowing you to do the job properly without introducing any other problems.
Conclusion
In spite of noticing all these problems if you plan to drive your car with a bad ignition control module, it is a very risky decision that can cost your life. Engine stalling, misfiring, and running rough are very dangerous symptoms, especially on the highways. As a driver, you must keep an eye on any symptoms of the bad ignition control module. Also, most of these symptoms can be related to other faulty components and hence check each component to find out the real culprit.
So, here we have shredded light on what are the bad ignition control module symptoms. Also, we have covered the solutions how to fix them. Read the article till the end and make sure to fix these until it’s too late.