How to Find the Spark Plugs in a Car

Spark plugs can mean the difference between your car running well or running poorly and misfiring. The average car needs to have its spark plugs changed at least every 15,000 miles. Replacing the spark plugs is an easy maintenance procedure that you can do on your own, but first you need to find where they are.

Instructions

1. Wait a couple of hours after your last drive before touching anything in your engine. This waiting time allows your engine to cool off, and you can reduce the chance of burning yourself.

2. Pop the hood of your car and take a good look under the hood at the engine. The lever to pop the hood is typically on the driver's side. When you lift the hood, don't forget to release the latch just under the hood. If the hood has a prop, be sure to use it otherwise the hood may fall down on your head.

3. Look at the bundle of wires that go in separate locations. The number of wires you see will depend on the cylinder size of your car. A four-cylinder car will have four wires, a six-cylinder car will have six and so on.

4. Follow the wires until the end. When you've reached the end of a wire, you've found the spark plugs of your car. The spark plugs are attached to the cylinder head. The wires that come out of the spark plugs are called the plug wires.

Tips & Warnings

• Diesel engines do not have spark plugs.