General information
The components of the ignition system are very reliable. Malfunctions are usually associated with unreliability or contamination of contacts. Faults in high-voltage wires are most often caused by contamination, moisture, or damaged insulation, and not by faulty system components. Before concluding that a component is faulty, check its wiring.
Check the performance of the high-voltage wire by removing it from the candle and bringing it closer to the surface of the engine (watching for a spark), it is forbidden. You risk not only getting an electric shock, but also damaging the control unit or ignition coil. If the engine is unstable, never remove the wire lugs from the spark plugs to determine the faulty one.
The checks described below should be carried out if the fault is obvious (starter failure, misfiring, etc.). Some malfunctions are less obvious and may not occur because the engine management system has switched to a safe operating mode. This kind of malfunction manifests itself in an increase in fuel consumption, instability of idle speed, loss of power, detonation, etc. If you find similar symptoms, contact the service station.
Engine won't start
Note. Keep in mind that if the anti-theft device fails, you will not be able to start the engine. Turn off your device (contact the head Manual).
If the engine does not crank when the starter is engaged or cranks very slowly, check the starter and battery. Attach a voltmeter to the battery terminals and measure the voltage while cranking the engine with a starter. Do not turn on the starter for more than 10 seconds. If the voltmeter shows 9.5 V or less, make sure the battery, starter and charging system are in good condition.
If the engine rotates at normal speed when the starter is turned on, but does not start, check all high voltage components of the ignition system.
Following the manufacturer's instructions, connect a stroboscope and crank the engine with the starter. If the lamp on the strobe lights up, voltage is supplied to the spark plugs. Make sure the spark plugs are good. If the lamp does not ignite, check the high voltage wires (see chapter Current service). If the spark plugs or wires are OK (there is a spark), follow the recommendations given in Section Troubleshooting - general information and preliminary checks.
If there is no spark, make sure the ignition coil is working (or substitute a known-good coil or check the winding resistance). If no problem is found, look for it elsewhere. If, after replacing the coil, the engine starts to start, a malfunction has been detected. Do not rush to throw away the coil and buy a new one. Make sure the wiring is securely connected to the coil (the engine could not start due to oxidized contact).
If the coil is in order, it is possible that the powerful buffer output stage, which is an integral part of the engine control unit, one of the sensors of the engine management system, or a related unit is faulty. In this case, a fault code must be recorded in the memory of the control unit, which can be read from the memory.
Fault codes can be read using special equipment.
Misfire
The cause of misfiring is most often an unreliable wiring contact with the terminals of the ignition coil or any sensor.
Switch off the ignition and make sure that all connectors of the ignition system are connected securely.
Check high voltage wires. Make sure that they are securely fastened at the points of intermediate fastenings and do not come into contact with metal parts of the engine. If the wire touches the metal and its insulation is damaged, then when the engine is running, the spark will not be applied to the candle, but to the ground. If even a slight damage to the insulation of at least one wire is found, replace the entire set.
You can verify that the wires are fully functional by temporarily replacing them with known-good ones.
When replacing wires, change them one at a time. This way you avoid the risk of incorrect connection. Do not damage the wires during installation.
If the high voltage wires are all good, the cause of the misfiring is most likely the ignition coil or spark plug of some kind. Install a new set of spark plugs (see chapter Current service) or check the coil (see Section Checking and adjusting the ignition timing). A bad or dirty crankshaft position sensor could be the cause of a misfire (see Section Power supply and fuel injection system of a gasoline engine - general information Chapters Power and exhaust systems.
If the check of the above nodes did not lead to an improvement in engine performance, read the fault codes from the memory of the control unit.