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When your engine begins misfiring, idling roughly, hesitating during acceleration, or the check engine light comes on, a failing ignition coil could be responsible. Ignition coils provide the high voltage your spark plugs need to ignite the air-fuel mixture inside the engine, so testing the ignition system is important for determining whether a coil is actually causing the problem.

McCullough NAPA Auto Care has ASE-certified technicians experienced in testing ignition coils, diagnosing ignition system problems, and replacing failed coils on a wide variety of domestic and import vehicles. 

Click here to schedule an appointment.

Schedule Your Ignition Coil Testing Service in Atlanta, GA

Our ASE-certified technicians have the experience and diagnostic equipment to properly test your vehicle’s ignition coils and determine whether they are contributing to an engine performance problem. If you’re experiencing misfires, rough idling, hesitation, or a check engine light, testing helps distinguish a failing ignition coil from other issues that can produce similar symptoms.

Accurate testing is important because an engine misfire does not automatically mean an ignition coil has failed. Spark plugs, wiring, fuel delivery, and other engine management components may also be responsible. We diagnose the source of the problem first so you receive the service your vehicle actually needs. If testing confirms that one or more ignition coils have failed, our technicians can replace the affected coils and help restore smooth, reliable engine performance.

Contact us online today to schedule your ignition coil service in Atlanta, Georgia.

  • Always amazing, fair and very honest.

    Jenn Buonanotte Avatar Jenn Buonanotte
    April 22, 2025

    Just wanted to take a moment and acknowledge the wonderful people at this company. They’ve helped me out a number of times with quick repairs, honest work, and fair prices. They are good people and the shoot you straight every time. They make sure you understand why they are doing what they are doing and exactly what to expect. Someone give Harrison a raise. I’ve called him a number of times and he’s never failed. I’ll be a customer for years to come.

    Russ W Delaino Avatar Russ W Delaino
    April 16, 2025

    They always do a great job talking care of my vehicle.

    Chuck B Avatar Chuck B
    April 16, 2025
  • Just completed my first service with McCullough, and I am impressed. I have a CPO 2013 Lexus ES 350 which I have always taken to the dealership for service for the past 8 years. At 150K, I thought it was time to explore less expensive options and more convenient. I interacted with Harrison, who is a true professional and easy to communicate with. Rather than "just do the recommended service", he suggested an oil change and complimentary inspection and then determine what, if any, additional work might need to be done. There was a relatively small amount of additional work which made sense given the age and stage of my vehicle. Pricing was discussed up front and was fair. I live close so after dropping my car off, he and Daniel came to pick me up when the works was done. In this day and age of, as Clark Howard says, "non customer service", I have found McCullough to be the exception that proves Clark's rule. We will be doing more business with them and highly recommend. Adding this after another visit to McCullough NAPA in January 2025: This is my second experience with McCullough and this was just as good as the first one. Brought in my wife's car for an oil change and overall evaluation. Harrison advised we did not need on oil change...how about that, a car place advising what's in the best interest of the customer and not an opportunity to charge for another service. Harrison and team checked out the car and advised us on the vehicle, which will go a long way to our determining if we keep or trade in. The charge was fair and reasonable. We'll be back soon for a service on our other car. Keep up the good work McCullough! Went in for a third experience and Harrison was professional and helpful as always. He pointed out some items to be on the lookout for not pressuring for immediate action. Good to have a heads up for what might be coming down the road. Will back on 6 months, or mileage, for another oil change and tire rotation and overall "health" check.

    Mark Jacobson Avatar Mark Jacobson
    April 16, 2025

    Great service and very prompt! Will definitely pay another visit when we need a servicing!!!

    Gary Wilson Avatar Gary Wilson
    April 16, 2025

    Great guys and great place.

    James Rice Avatar James Rice
    April 9, 2025
  • I highly recommend McCullough. They're always professional, helpful, reliable, and friendly.

    Miriam Davidow Avatar Miriam Davidow
    April 2, 2025

    Always great job and great people

    Dave Goldberg Avatar Dave Goldberg
    April 2, 2025

    Great company and people, great work, and reasonable prices. No surprises, and people who care.

    Cynthia G Weaver Avatar Cynthia G Weaver
    April 2, 2025
  • another perfect visit! No drama oil change; no pressure to buy other services; in and out quickly on the Friday before a holiday week.

    E Belle Avatar E Belle
    March 26, 2025

    My 2012 Genesis needed a new battery, so I looked at various sources and found McCullough NAPA Auto Care reviews to be reassuring and helpful. I am very glad I went there. The lot is crammed with cars to be worked on or awaiting pickup after being serviced, but the gentleman directed me to park near the service doors after I explained my need. He immediately escorted me inside, I completed a work order, and he showed me to the waiting area. I'd say the work took maybe 30 minutes, and the service agent with whom I'd spoken on the phone about a battery, called me to the desk and handed me the keys, thanking me for coming in and directed me to my car waiting in front of the service area. Everyone was very professional, friendly, and careful to explain problems found in customer vehicles, as I overheard with several people who had come in while I was waiting. I would say, aside from friendly, honesty was my strongest impression of this family run business, and I will be back!

    Ralph Griffin Avatar Ralph Griffin
    March 23, 2025

    Harrison was great! he made the process so smooth and kept me updated and wasn’t flustered when I asked for extra updates and new information. In addition my car drives great now. Thank you.

    KingJames London Avatar KingJames London
    March 23, 2025
  • They were very attentive, communicated very well and had great customer service

    Lynn Walker Avatar Lynn Walker
    March 23, 2025

    Ryan is a Godsend. Very hard working and thorough.

    * johnb2nde Avatar * johnb2nde
    March 23, 2025

    Always professional and accommodating.

    donna bruzzi Avatar donna bruzzi
    March 23, 2025
  • Solid service and communication! Will return next time I need work on my car.

    Grey Notermann Avatar Grey Notermann
    March 23, 2025

    Ryan at Napa from the beginning was very helpful in letting me know what was going on with my car and even alerted me on an issue I thought was originally fixed from another shop. I appreciate the quick service and now my car runs great! I will be back for future services ☺️

    Jasmine Griffith Avatar Jasmine Griffith
    March 23, 2025

    Very honest people highly recommend!

    ron Natanov Avatar ron Natanov
    March 23, 2025
  • Happy with everyone I’ve interacted, the repairs done, and how communicative they are. Highly recommend.

    Thomas Balkcom Avatar Thomas Balkcom
    March 23, 2025

    This was our first repair at McCullough NAPA Auto Repair. They came highly recommended by several neighbors on the Nextdoor app. We had an excellent experience and the price was very competitive. For example, our oil change is usually around $90. and it was around $75. Eric, the owner, called with a quote for the repairs and found an issue with the oil that could have damaged the engine. I was grateful for that and decided to let them do their multi-point inspection. They found a few small issues none of which were super expensive. Then Eric, the owner, called at every milestone of the repair. He was approachable yet professional and to the point. I was always informed on the progress of their work and the car was ready quickly. I would recommend

    Andrea Feinberg Avatar Andrea Feinberg
    March 23, 2025

    They've got a great system going! Very efficient with their work! It's the only place I'll bring my vehicle to!

    E.C. Creative Co. Avatar E.C. Creative Co.
    February 23, 2025
  • Fair, honest, located the issue quickly and communicated everything with me. Will continue to go to them and would highly recommend.

    Jenny Paveglio Avatar Jenny Paveglio
    February 23, 2025

    Great communication, fair pricing. Will definitely use again!

    E Avatar E
    February 23, 2025

    I’ve come here twice before and was happy with the work. But when picking my car up on the third visit I learned that my bill was more than double the price that was initially quoted to me (+$2,800 instead of $1,300), which was a substantial difference for me. The shock of learning this when pulling out my wallet to pay at the front-desk was very embarrassing to say the least! They did a good job, but my advice if you bring your vehicle here is to make sure to learn more about your quoted price. In my case, when I asked the cost, I was quoted roughly $1,300 but apparently, as my bill would show, I was only quoted the cost of “parts”. If this distinction was make known to me then I would have made an informed decision based on the price of “labor” as well.

    Ricardo Smith Avatar Ricardo Smith
    February 23, 2025
  • Graham was excellent to work with! Thank you!

    ellie flynn Avatar ellie flynn
    February 23, 2025

    Great service communication every time.

    Cindy Arrington Avatar Cindy Arrington
    February 23, 2025

    Ryan was great to work with. He kept me updated on my options and got two tires replaced quickly and for a very fair price.

    Carrie Kozel Avatar Carrie Kozel
    February 23, 2025
  • Excellent service

    JP Jones Avatar JP Jones
    January 23, 2025

    I can’t say enough good things about McCullough Auto Care & Towing! From the moment I walked in, Ryan and his team was professional, courteous, and incredibly helpful. They went above and beyond to make sure I felt taken care of, and their service was both fast and reliable. Whether it’s towing or auto care, they are true experts who genuinely care about their customers. The pricing was fair, the communication was excellent, and the entire experience was stress-free. I highly recommend McCullough Auto Care & Towing for anyone needing top-notch service. They’ve earned my trust and a lifelong customer!

    Kristina Shimon Avatar Kristina Shimon
    January 23, 2025

    Was very pleased with the service on my car and the professional manner of Ryan and Eric! Very nice family business I would highly recommend McCollough NAPA Auto Care My vehicle was diagnosed and completed in a timely manner I will most definitely use this business in the future Thank you!

    Teresa Willis Avatar Teresa Willis
    January 23, 2025

What Does the Ignition Coil Do For Your Engine?

Your vehicle’s battery operates at relatively low voltage, but the spark plugs need much higher voltage to create the electrical spark that ignites the air-fuel mixture inside the engine. Ignition coils make this possible by converting the battery’s electrical energy into the high voltage required by the spark plugs. This process happens continuously while the engine is running and must occur at precisely the right time for each cylinder.

Many modern vehicles use a coil-on-plug ignition system, with an individual ignition coil positioned directly above each spark plug. Other vehicles may use coil packs that supply voltage to multiple cylinders. Regardless of the design, a properly functioning ignition system is essential for consistent combustion, smooth acceleration, fuel efficiency, and overall engine performance.

A Failing Coil Can Affect Engine Combustion

When an ignition coil weakens or fails, the spark plug it supplies may not receive enough voltage to ignite the air-fuel mixture consistently. This can result in an engine misfire, where combustion does not occur properly within one or more cylinders. Depending on the severity, you may notice anything from a slightly rough idle to significant hesitation, shaking, or loss of power.

Continued misfiring can also allow unburned fuel to enter the exhaust system, potentially placing additional stress on the catalytic converter. Testing the ignition system when symptoms first develop helps determine whether an ignition coil is responsible and allows the underlying problem to be addressed before it affects other components.

McCullough NAPA Auto Care Proudly Serves

Serving Zip Codes:
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Signs Your Ignition Coil May Be Failing

Ignition coils can weaken or fail over time due to heat, vibration, electrical stress, and normal wear. When a coil can no longer provide consistent voltage to a spark plug, combustion within the affected cylinder may become inconsistent. Because several ignition, fuel, and engine management problems can create similar symptoms, proper testing is important before assuming an ignition coil needs replacement.

Common Signs of a Failing Ignition Coil Include:

  • Engine Misfires – A weak coil may cause intermittent or consistent misfires in the cylinder it supplies.
  • Rough or Shaky Idle – Uneven combustion can cause noticeable shaking or vibration while the vehicle is stopped and the engine is running.
  • Hesitation During Acceleration – A failing coil may struggle under increased engine load, causing hesitation, stumbling, or inconsistent acceleration.
  • Loss of Engine Power – When one or more cylinders aren’t firing properly, the engine may feel noticeably weaker than normal.
  • Check Engine Light – Misfires frequently trigger diagnostic trouble codes and illuminate the check engine light.
  • Poor Fuel Economy – Incomplete or inconsistent combustion can reduce engine efficiency and cause fuel consumption to increase.
  • Difficulty Starting – Depending on the ignition system and number of affected coils, a failing coil may contribute to longer cranking or difficult starts.

These symptoms don’t confirm that an ignition coil has failed. Worn spark plugs, fuel injector problems, wiring issues, and other engine concerns can produce many of the same warning signs. Ignition coil testing allows our technicians to identify the actual source of the problem before recommending replacement.