Many vehicle owners feel overwhelmed when something with their vehicle needs to be fixed. We neither have the experience or education to solve even simple problems. However, there are a number of car repair tasks that can be completed by the most inexperienced novice. Replacing spark plug wires is one of those car repair tasks that you can do on your own during an afternoon.

If your check engine light is on, it may be because you have bad spark plug wires. In fact, one of the most common causes of that light is a faulty spark plug wire causing the engine to run poorly. This is often the only time vehicle owners think about spark plug wires. However, they can be replaced regularly to avoid hassle or poor engine running before it happens. Many mechanics recommend new wires should be replaced every 30,000 miles. You can wait longer to replace them, but your engine may run inefficiently in the meantime or even cause problems that require more expensive car repair tasks. This task can easily be combined with installation of new plugs. Doing both at once is an efficient way to get two tasks done at the same time with a little amount of work.

The first step of spark plug wire replacement is to remove the engine’s cover and analyze the task at hand. Most vehicles have easily accessible wires. However, quite a few newer vehicles have engine designs that require removal of several components in order to reach the plugs and wires. If there is a little extra work required, you may consider taking it to an auto facility at this point. They will be happy to do the work for you and charge your credit card appropriately.

If you want to invest the time and save the money, even the hardest-to-reach spark plug wires can be accessed with a little hard work. Disconnect electrical connections to the air box or intake plenum and remove it. Once you can see the spark plugs and wires, it’s time to get excited! Take care to replace them individually and fully disconnect and reconnect each one before starting on the next. This will ensure that you don’t get any of the connections mixed up and the installation will go smoothly.

While you’re here, you might as well replace the spark plugs too. Each will come out easily and be replaced by the new one. Hook up the new wires and you’re all set! Finally, replace the air box or intake plenum and reattach all of the electrical connections. If you did everything methodically and in order, it should all match up easily and go back together without any extra wires or confusion. » Read more: Car Repair: How to Change a Spark Plug