Yes, pre-ignition can cause serious damage to your engine. Pre-ignition is the ignition of fuel before the actual spark occurs which causes a rapid temperature rise in the combustion chamber that can damage engine components and melt spark plug electrodes. Causes of pre-ignition include but are not limited to a buildup of deposits that can become incandescent in the combustion chamber improper installation torque being applied to spark plugs and having spark plugs with a heat range that is too hot for the engines operating condition.