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Is your engine misfiring, stumbling, and losing speed? A misfiring engine spells trouble under the hood, wastes gas, and causes an increase in exhaust emissions. You shouldn't ignore a misfiring engine because the longer you wait before taking your Soul, Sportage, or Sorento for repairs at your Kia dealer, the more money you will likely pay to fix the problem. Ignition System Issues An ignition system contains many components, including the ignition coil, spark plugs, and wiring that join the components. Issues with any ignition system components will cause your car's engine to misfire and trigger the check engine light. more Misfires happen when the combustion process within the cylinder fails. Your engine may idle roughly, accelerate poorly or jerk, make awful clanking, coughing, or sputtering noises, and you might even see black smoke pouring out of your tailpipe. Old and Dirty Spark Plugs and Worn Wires The most common cause of misfiring is old or fouled spark plugs not sparking to start the combustion reaction that produces engine power. To repair the problem, ask your Kia technician to replace the spark plugs and the wires, a relatively cheap and easy job that will get you back on the road in no time at all. Clogged Fuel Injectors Over time your car's fuel injectors, which inject fuel into the engine's cylinders, can get clogged with residue and small carbon particles. If your engine is misfiring, the cylinders are not receiving fuel to combust. At first, the misfires will be sporadic but will become more frequent as the residue builds up and the injectors become more clogged. If a fuel injector can't deliver fuel and there's only air in the combustion chamber, it will cause your car to misfire. Failing Ignition Coils The ignition coils that serve the cylinders send electricity to the spark plugs that ignite the air-fuel mixture. If an ignition coil fails, one of the cylinders fires incorrectly or not at all, and the engine misfires. A Leaky Head Gasket The head gasket prevents oil and coolant from mixing or entering the combustion cylinders as they flow through various engine parts. After many miles of driving, the head gasket can get damaged or warp, and leaks can form. When a head gasket leaks, it could cause multiple cylinders to misfire. A Malfunctioning Catalytic Converter A malfunctioning or clogged catalytic converter in the exhaust system can cause overheating issues and misfires. In turn, the malfunction caused by incomplete combustion in the cylinder can overheat the catalytic converter and cause catastrophic damage to your engine. Is Your Car's Engine Misfiring? Visit Your Kia Dealer in Lanham, MD Although you can still drive your car when the engine is misfiring, it's best not to. If your car's engine is misfiring, call DARCARS Lanham Kia today for repairs before it causes severe engine damage. Our team of certified Kia service technicians can inspect your vehicle and do the necessary repairs, using state-of-the-art technology and genuine Kia parts.