do diesel cars have spark plugs? HYUNDAI Santa Fe II (CM) (10.2005 - 12.2012)

Hello.
In diesel engines, the fuel is ignited by the force of compression in the combustion chamber of the glow plug. This means that they can be installed on all types of engines.

Diesel engines, including your 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe diesel, do not have spark plugs. Instead, they rely on a process called compression ignition, where the air inside the cylinder is compressed to such a high degree that it becomes superheated and ignites the diesel fuel injected into the cylinder without needing a spark.

However, diesel engines do have glow plugs, which are sometimes confused with spark plugs. Glow plugs are small electric heaters that warm the combustion chamber before starting, especially in cold conditions, to ensure the air temperature is high enough for efficient ignition. They do not create a spark but help the engine start smoothly by pre-heating the air to aid combustion.

So, in your 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe diesel, there are no spark plugs, but it will have glow plugs to assist with cold starts. This is standard for diesel engines and not peculiar to your model. The confusion often arises because glow plugs look somewhat similar to spark plugs but serve a different function.