Auto Electrical
Ignition system repair near you
Ignition system repair for misfires, hard starts and rough idle: worn spark plugs, failed coils or a faulty ignition switch replaced, then road tested.
- Time at the shop
- 1 h 30 min
- about
- Mobile service
- Available
- at your address
- Shops in Canada
- Joining soon
- doing this work
- Your price
- You set it
- shops bid on it
You set the budget
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Auto Electrical
What ignition system repair is
The ignition system makes the spark that lights the fuel and air in each cylinder. Most modern engines have one coil on top of each spark plug; older vehicles use a coil pack or a distributor with a cap, rotor and plug wires. Separately, the ignition switch behind your key or start button powers the vehicle up. When a plug wears out or a coil fails, that cylinder misfires: the engine shakes at idle, hesitates, uses more gas and may flash the check engine light.
The technician reads the fault codes to find the misfiring cylinder, inspects the plugs, and often moves a coil to another cylinder to see whether the misfire follows it. The failed coil or set of plugs is then replaced to specification and a road test confirms the misfire has gone. A failing ignition switch shows itself differently: the dash lights flicker, the engine cuts out or the key will not turn.
- For cars, vans and trucks
- Takes about 1 h 30 min
- Can be done at your address
What does ignition system repair cost?
It depends on your vehicle and the shop. Post a job with your budget and compare the bids shops near you send.
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Name your budget. Shops near you bid.
Shops across Canada that do ignition system repair see your request.
What to expect
Ignition system repair, step by step
What the job normally covers, what to mention in your request, and the signs that it is time. Every shop says what its bid includes.
The job
What’s included
- Fault codes and misfire counts read to show which cylinder or cylinders are affected
- Spark plugs removed and read for wear, oil, fuel or overheating, which points to the underlying cause
- Coil swap test to show whether the misfire follows the coil or stays with the cylinder
- Failed coils, or a full set of plugs, replaced with the type your engine specifies, gapped and torqued to specification
- Plug boots, coil connectors and wires checked for cracks, oil and carbon tracking
- On older engines: cap, rotor, plug wires and ignition module tested and replaced as needed
- Ignition switch, key cylinder and wiring tested when the dash flickers or the engine cuts out
- Codes cleared, then a road test under load to confirm the misfire is gone
Checklist
Before you post
- 01Ask for the misfire codes or the coil swap result before agreeing to parts; the fault may lie in fuel or compression
- 02Ask whether the estimate covers a single coil or the set, and whether new plugs are advised at the same time
- 03Find out how your engine’s plugs are reached; plugs under the intake manifold add hours of labour
- 04Ask for the plug type your owner’s manual specifies; the wrong heat range or gap can cause misfires
- 05For an ignition switch, ask whether a key needs cutting or programming and whether the steering column has to come apart
- 06Driving a diesel? It has no spark plugs; a hard start there points to glow plugs or the battery instead
Signs
When you need it
- Check engine light flashing, or codes P0300 to P0308 for random or cylinder-specific misfires
- The engine shakes at idle or stumbles when you accelerate
- Long cranking, hard starting or stalling
- Fuel use has crept up and the plugs are past their service interval
- Dash lights flicker or the engine cuts out when you bump the key ring
Sound familiar?Tell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsHow it works
Get ignition system repair done in four steps
You set the budget and choose the shop. Posting is free, and you pay the shop you hire once the work is 100% done.
- 01
Post your job
Choose the service, describe the job and your vehicle, and set your budget. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
- 02
Shops compete
Nearby shops that do the work see your request and send their best offer: price, when they can start, what is included.
- 03
Accept the best offer
Compare bids, ratings and distance, then hire one shop. The others are told, politely.
- 04
Talk and get it done
Your conversation with the shop opens right away to agree on the day. You pay only after the job is complete.
Keep exploring
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Engine diagnostics for a check engine light or rough running: a technician reads the fault codes, tests live data and reports the cause and the fix.
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Scheduled maintenance service
Scheduled maintenance service to your owner’s manual: oil and filter, rotation, fluids, plugs and an inspection, with a dated record for your vehicle.
Mechanical Repair
Fuel injection service
Fuel injection service: injectors tested, cleaned or replaced and the throttle body cleaned, to clear up rough idle, hesitation and misfires.
Starter repair & replacement
Starter replacement or repair when a no-start is traced to the starter, solenoid or cables, not the battery, with the new starter tested for a clean crank.
Keys & Locksmith
Car key replacement
Car key replacement: a new or spare key cut and programmed to your vehicle, from a plain transponder key to a smart fob, even when every key is lost.
Questions
Questions about ignition system repair
General answers for drivers in Canada. The shop you hire confirms the details for your vehicle.
What does a flashing check engine light mean?
A flashing light warns of a misfire heavy enough that unburned fuel is reaching the catalytic converter, where it can overheat and damage it. Ease off the accelerator, avoid towing a trailer and highway speeds, and get the vehicle to a shop soon. A steady light is less urgent. A plug or coil replaced early is a small bill next to a new converter.
How do I know whether it is a spark plug or an ignition coil?
A coil swap tells plug from coil once the fault codes have named the cylinder: the technician moves the suspect coil onto a healthy cylinder. If the misfire follows the coil, it has failed; if it stays on the same cylinder, the plug, injector or engine itself is the suspect. A single failed coil is usually replaced with a new plug beneath it, and on a high-kilometre engine with plugs due, changing them all at once shares the labour.
How often should spark plugs be changed?
Follow your owner’s manual: older copper plugs are often changed at around 40,000 to 65,000 km, while iridium and platinum plugs commonly go 100,000 km or more. Turbocharged and direct-injection engines put plugs under more stress and may call for earlier changes. Plugs left in far past their interval can seize in an aluminum head, which turns a simple job into a costly one.
How do I know if my ignition switch is failing?
Typical signs are a key that is hard to turn or remove, a dash that lights up only when you wiggle the key, accessories that cut out, an engine that stalls over a bump, and no crank with the key in the start position. A heavy key ring adds to the wear. Replacement can mean cutting or programming a key and taking the steering column trim apart, so allow a longer appointment.
How long does it take to change spark plugs?
About an hour on a four-cylinder with the plugs on top of the engine. A V6 with the rear bank under the intake manifold, or an engine with deep plug wells, can take two to four hours. Plugs seized in the head add time and risk, which is one reason to change them at the interval instead of waiting for a misfire.
Something else to ask? Once you hire a shop, you talk to it directly in your request’s conversation.
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