Struggling to Climb Hills? This Small Component Could Be the Culprit

SOLO, KOMPAS.com - Many car owners assume that sluggish engine power when climbing hills is always related to transmission or fuel issues. However, worn or inefficient spark plugs can also be the cause. This condition can lead to incomplete combustion in the engine, resulting in reduced power output.

Muchlis, owner of Toyota Mitsubishi Specialist Garage Auto Service Sukoharjo, stated that faulty spark plugs can be one reason for power loss when ascending slopes. He explained that spark plugs play a crucial role in igniting combustion in petrol engines. When their ability to produce sparks diminishes, the combustion process becomes suboptimal, leading to reduced engine power.

‘In petrol engines, spark plugs are responsible for initiating combustion; if their spark-producing capability is suboptimal, the combustion process will also be suboptimal,’ Muchlis said.

This issue can cause engine hesitation and prevent the engine from delivering maximum power when more force is required, such as when climbing hills.

‘When spark plugs are faulty, it causes hesitation, so the engine doesn’t produce maximum power, resulting in insufficient power for climbing,’ Muchlis added.

‘Clean and adjust spark plugs every 10,000 kilometres or six months,’ he said.

For replacement intervals, it depends on the spark plug type and manufacturer recommendations.

‘For cars using iridium spark plugs, the replacement interval is longer, up to 100,000 km, though they are more expensive than standard nickel spark plugs, which typically last around 20,000 km,’ Muchlis explained.

He added that each vehicle has different replacement intervals.

‘Each car is different; resistor or non-iridium spark plugs usually need replacing every 20,000 km, commonly found in older Avanza, Rush, and Agya models. For Innova, Yaris, and older Vios models, it’s every 40,000 km. Iridium spark plugs should be replaced every 100,000 km,’ Muchlis said.

Therefore, car owners should ensure spark plugs are in optimal condition through regular maintenance and timely replacement to maintain engine performance, especially when navigating inclines.