by 
The Curious Bag
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The ignition module is a vital component of any gasoline engine's electrical system. Without these controllers, spark plug ignition could not be timed to engine position, and the car would simply refuse to run.
Ignition Basics
The engine's crank or camshaft is connected to a rotating mechanism (distributor), that has a series of evenly spaced contacts inside, one for each cylinder. As the rotating part brushes these contacts, it closes the circuit between the plug wire and power source and ignites the contact cylinder's fuel mixture.
Points and Modules
Older cars used a mechanical system to determine the length and strength of power discharge. These "points" systems were replaced by magnetically triggered "modules" in the mid 1970s.
Function
Instead of mechanically varying spark duration, modules use a magnetic Hall Effect sensor to determine the proper time to discharge and calculate duration internally before signaling the coil to fire.
Electronically Controlled Systems
Most new cars use a distributor-less ignition. In these cases, the ignition module is often built into the power coil.
Module Failure
Symptoms of module failure include stuttering, stalling and refusal to start.
Source:
Resource:
Saturn Ignition Module Replacement (Video)
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