How to Replace a Ford Escape Ignition Coil
by Russell Wood
Time was, a typical Ford engine's spark was controlled by a mechanical distributor, which dispersed spark among the various spark plug wires based on the gears at the base. Ford has changed their system and modernized the ignition system in vehicles like the Ford Escape, and now there are individual ignition modules that control each spark plug, making the engine run more efficiently. If one of those ignition modules should malfunction, your engine will run poorly and an engine code may be displayed.
Step 1
Pop the hood and disconnect the negative terminal from the battery using an open-end wrench.
Step 2
Locate the ignition coil that you want to replace. Remove the ignition wires on either end of the ignition coil by gripping the boot on the wire and pulling. Unplug the wiring harness from the ignition coil at the same time.
Step 3
Unbolt the ignition coil from the mounting bracket using the 3/8-inch ratchet, extension and socket. Remove the coil from the engine bay, then place the replacement onto the bracket and secure it using the factory hardware and the 3/8-inch ratchet, extension and sockets.
Step 4
Clip the wiring harness into the ignition coil and push the ignition cables onto the posts on the ignition coil until they make a popping sound, indicating that the boot is securely on the electrode. Then reinstall the negative terminal on the battery using an open-end wrench.
Things You'll Need
- Open-end wrench set
- 3/8-inch ratchet, extension and sockets
- Replacement ignition coil
Writer Bio
Russell Wood is a writer and photographer who attended Arizona State University. He has been building custom cars and trucks since 1994, including several cover vehicles. In 2000 Wood started a career as a writer, and since then he has dedicated his business to writing and photographing cars and trucks, as well as helping people learn more about how vehicles work.
