Written by: Trevor Mahoney
Last updated: January 15, 2023
The last thing any driver wants when out on the open road is for their vehicle to break down on them. One of the only things worse than this is the cause of the breakdown not being clear. Many small components under your vehicle’s hood work in conjunction with your vehicle’s major parts to keep you driving on the road.
Any number of these smaller parts going bad can result in a breakdown, but understanding whether they’re covered under warranty can help the repair process. Spark plugs are one example of small components under your hood that are imperative to your vehicle’s functionality. Without operational spark plugs, your vehicle will be dead in the water.
Let’s dive deeper into this crucial part, along with whether or not it’s covered under warranty in the case of replacement.
What Are Spark Plugs?
Before diving further into whether this part is covered by warranty, it’s important to discuss what spark plugs are and how they function.
Your spark plugs provide the initial jolt, or “spark,” of electricity that allows for combustion in your engine, which, in turn, allows the various parts of your vehicle to function. All internal combustion engines operate from three basic components: air, fuel, and ignition. Air and fuel are mixed within your engine’s combustion chamber, forming a mixture ignited by the electricity provided through your spark plug.
This process is repeated thousands of times in a single minute alone. As you can see, spark plugs are a crucial component of an internal combustion engine.
Generally, for most vehicles, spark plugs typically lie on top of the engine, or along the sides, in even rows. The number of spark plugs under the hood depends on the number of cylinders your engine has, as this is a one-to-one correlation.
How to Know When Spark Plugs Have Gone Bad
Like most key components of a vehicle, there are a few crucial signs to watch out for that can indicate your spark plugs have gone bad. Keep an eye out for some of the following signs:
- Trouble starting your engine
- Rough, rumbling noise that occurs when idling
- Misfiring engine or uneven engine acceleration
- Lower fuel mileage than normal
- Random engine surges
While all of the above can potentially have other causes, they are often associated with spark plugs that have gone bad. Getting these replaced as soon as possible after they go bad should be a top priority.
Are Spark Plugs Covered by Warranty?
Vehicle warranties can range from near-complete coverage to just covering your car’s essential components, like the powertrain. However, factory or extended warranties often exclude wear and tear items, including spark plugs.
Some manufacturers may offer additional add-on plans that provide coverage for components that can include spark plugs, but this is on a manufacturer-by-manufacturer basis. Third-party warranty providers may provide similar coverages, making it important to read the fine print of whatever coverage you are considering to see whether or not spark plug replacements are covered.
Keeping your vehicle protected on the road
Whether or not spark plug replacement is covered under your factory or extended warranty, it’s crucial that you get this part fixed as soon as possible. Like other crucial components of a vehicle, extended damage to your engine could lead to costly breakdowns and repairs. With the right extended warranty, however, you can ensure your car has the coverage it needs to run. To learn more about the various extended warranties available, look at our review of top extended car warranty providers.
