
Bad electronic smellīad connection when it comes to electronics creates heat. Therefore, if you are looking at a battery that had died when working the day perfectly before, the ignition relay could have been the cause. This means the circuit will not open after you remove the key, and the battery will drain. When the ignition relay fails, it can cause the ignition system to be activated constantly, even when you have removed the keys from the ignition. When you switch off the ignition key, the ignition relay should also shut off power to all engine components otherwise, it will drain the car battery when you let the car stands over the night. This can cause the connection area inside the relay to become too small – which will cause the ignition to shut off and on super fast. Situations occur when there becomes corrosion inside of the ignition relay. If your dashboard is blinking like a table-flipping game, there may be an issue with the ignition relay. If your car shuts off while driving, the ignition relay can be to blame. Without these components, your engine will die imminently, so you can probably guess what will happen if it can’t deliver power to them. The ignition relay supplies power to essential engine parts like the fuel pump and the ignition coils. RELATED: Symptoms of a Bad Fuel Pump Relay & Location 2. Otherwise, you will be forced to travel without your car. These issues need to be solved as soon as possible. If nothing happens on your dashboard when you turn the key in the ignition lock, and you are sure that the car battery is charged – there is a big risk that something is wrong with the ignition relay. The ignition relay’s primary job is to give power to all control modules and sensors in your car needed for the engine to run. Testing the ignition relay Bad Ignition Relay Symptoms 1. Here is a more detailed list of the most common symptoms of a bad ignition relay: The area under the hood is open to contaminants and pollutants like dirt and debris – the common reason behind ignition relay failure. In rare cases, you can also feel a burnt electronic smell.Īn ignition relay normally sits with a few other relays and fuses in the fuse box found in the engine bay. You can also notice signs like engine stalls or a dead car battery in the morning. The most common symptom of a bad ignition relay is an unresponsive ignition switch.

So what happens if you have a bad ignition relay? However, if the relay fails to perform up to its standards, you will start experiencing problems and not just in one, but many engine components such as the fuel pump and the ignition coil, among others. It transfers electricity from the battery to the ignition components, which allows you to start the car in the blink of an eye. The ignition relay is usually found in the fuse box situated underneath the hood or somewhere under the car’s dashboard. The ignition relay’s job is to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to many of your car’s components.
