If you hear a clicking or chattering sound when you try starting your vehicle, then you’re dealing with a battery issue. Maintain your battery by cleaning the terminals or replacing it. [2] X Research source If you only hear a single click or nothing at all when you start your vehicle, then there’s an issue with your vehicle’s starter. Test your starter to ensure it’s causing the issue. [3] X Research source
Sometimes, the ignition coil that your spark plug sits can cause rough idling. Test your ignition coil with a multimeter and compare the readings to your vehicle’s requirements in the manual. If the readings are off, then replace the ignition coil.
If your car doesn’t display it, you can calculate your vehicle’s fuel consumption by dividing the distance you’ve driven on 1 tank of gas by the size of your gas tank.
Common engine codes for misfires and spark plugs are P0-300 through P0-308. Some “Check Engine” lights won’t come on until your engine has a certain number of misfires. [9] X Research source
If you need to get new spark plugs, check your vehicle’s manual to know the proper gap sizes to use so they create a spark strong enough for your engine. Some spark plugs come with pre-measured gaps while you’ll need to use a spark plug gap tool to properly measure and adjust the size for universal plugs. If your spark plug has white or black residue coating it, you can clean it by placing it in a spark plug cleaner bag that attaches to an air compressor. The bag contains a fine abrasive that sand-blasts the residue off the electrode.
