Mercedes Glow Plug Warning Light

Get Your Mercedes Glow Plug Replaced at the Best Repair Shop in Santa Barbara

27 Feb, 21

When the glow plugs start to fail in your Mercedes, it is important to get the issue fixed as soon as possible. There are a few potential symptoms you can look for to help determine whether the glow plug has failed within the car. Routine maintenance is one of the best ways to find potential issues with the glow plugs in your car ahead of time. But if the glow plugs fail, visiting a qualified mechanic is the best way to get them repaired and replaced.

Why is the glow plug important?

Glow plugs are responsible for igniting the fuel and air inside your engine to start the combustion process. Glow plugs are similar to spark plugs in the work that they do. But while spark plugs will ignite the fuel in a gasoline engine, the glow plug will help to heat the fuel and air necessary to ignite a diesel engine.

Each car that has a diesel engine will have a glow plug for each cylinder that is used. This is why each vehicle will have a different number of plugs. When even one of the glow plugs begin to fail, it can cause a lot of problems with the efficiency of your Mercedes engine and whether it can even start on demand.

How to Tell When a Glow Plug Goes Bad

There are several things that a Mercedes owner should look for when it comes to telling whether a glow plug has stopped working or not. Some of these signs include:

  • Engine Misfires: Engine misfires occur when one of the glow plugs is not working properly. When the glow plugs stop working, they fail to provide the necessary heat that diesel combustion requires. This is going to cause the engine to misfire often. Depending on when the engine misfiring happens, it can result in a loss of acceleration and loss of power, which can be dangerous. You may also notice lower fuel efficiency.
  • Black Smoke: Another symptom of the glow plugs not working well in your car is black smoke from the exhaust. When the glow plugs go bad, they can start to disturb the combustion process in diesel cars, which may cause the engine to produce black smoke. This is a big red flag that something is wrong with the car and needs to be checked out. Ignoring the problem can cause more of the glow plugs to fail and may make it so your car will not start at all.

However, this black smoke can also be caused by other issues in the car, which is why you need to have your Mercedes inspected by a licensed mechanic as soon as you suspect a problem.

  • Hard Starting: You may also begin to notice hard starting in your Mercedes when the glow plugs are failing. Unlike with gas engines, which rely on a spark to help ignite the mixture of fuel, diesel engines will need cylinder pressures to help ignite the fuel. When the glow plugs stop working, the engine has to overcome some additional pressure to help ignite the mixture. All of this will result in hard starting on the vehicle. This could even potentially leave you stranded if too many glow plugs have failed.

Santa Barbara Autowerks Will Fix Your Glow Plugs

When the glow plugs in your Mercedes are failing, it is important to work with one of our qualified mechanics to Mercedes Glow Plug diagnose the source of the problem to make a quick and affordable repair. We will complete a full inspection of your Mercedes to check for any issues that may have resulted from the glow plug failure and advise you of the best course of action. We believe in honest, frank discussions about your Mercedes so you are always informed of all options and future maintenance needs.

At Santa Barbara Autowerks in Santa Barbara, CA, we understand how important your vehicle is to you and are available to provide the best quality service, no matter what needs repaired or replaced. Give us a call today to see when we can schedule an appointment for you. We look forward to seeing you soon.

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