Genuine Mercedes Glow Plug | 0011597101

Glow plugs are heating elements used to warm the cylinders of diesel engines to a temperature that allows the diesel fuel/air mixture in the cylinder to auto ignite under compression. When diesel engines are cold and when the ignition switches to the on position, the glow plugs will turn on to warm up the cylinders for the engine to start. On older diesel engines this process can take up to 20 seconds whereas in newer diesel engines, the glow plugs can warm up the cylinders in 6 to 8 seconds.

Like spark plugs, glow plugs need to be replaced regularly, but only about every 100,000 miles. However, glow plugs can fail prematurely and have to be replaced sooner than 100,000 miles. A bad glow plug relay can cause the glow plugs to stay on after the engine starts. A diesel engine running cold can cause the glow plugs to stay on too long which can cause the glow plug tips to overheat, become brittle, wear holes in the tip, and cause it to bend.

• An engine warning light
• Hard starting
• Rough running engine due to a misfire
• Poor fuel economy
• White or black smoke continuously coming from the exhaust

Replacing Your Vehicle’s Glow Plugs
Glow plug replacement is fairly simple but requires additional inspections during the process. If replacing the glow plugs simply due to mileage, removing the glow plug wires and unscrewing the glow plugs to replace them is the basic process. However, it is critical to inspect the glow plugs you are replacing for fuel and any signs of excessive wear on the glow plug tips to make sure you don’t have any injection problems that may cause the new glow plugs to fail.

It is recommended to replace the glow plug relay along with the glow plugs to prevent premature failure of the glow plugs due to the relay going bad. Furthermore, if one glow plug has failed, it is recommended to replace all glow plugs at the same time to ensure the longevity of all the glow plugs.

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