Has anyone resolved their ignition coil CEL issues? (P0351, P0352, etc.)

[edward]

Hey all,

I have a 2013 BRZ that's been having some issues.

About a year ago, it started throwing P0351 (Ignition Coil A) codes on the street, usually around ~5300-ish RPM at full throttle. After 3 trips to the dealership for diagnosis (and many hours of warranty labor) the dealership (Stevens Creek Subaru) swapped the two coils on the left side of the engine. (As I understand it, Coil A corresponds to cylinder #1 (front left), and Coil B corresponds to cylinder #3 (rear left)). This fixed the problem, however my service advisor told me that it was likely a temporary fix, and to let him know if the CEL comes back (and for which cylinder if it did come back.) Note: They did not replace the coils, they simply swapped the coils for cylinders 1 and 3.

Long story short: My car is throwing ignition coil codes again.

Everything was great until a few weeks ago when I was at Laguna Seca for a track day: The car started throwing CEL code P0352 (Coil B), which makes it seem like the first coil that was failing (cylinder #1) is now starting to fail again on cylinder #3. Thinking it might just be knocking on crappy California winter fuel, I put a few gallons of 101 octane fuel in the car, which seemed to reduce the frequency that the light was coming on, but it did not eliminate it. The code seemed to be thrown most often when accelerating up the straightaway at full throttle, and it always occurs when the engine is near roughly ~5300 RPM.

Anyways, I called a different dealership (my service advisor at Stevens Creek Subaru left, and he was the main reason I went there as there are closer dealerships to my home) and tried to set up a service appointment to get the ignition coils replaced, but they said that they have to diagnose the problem themselves before they can do anything.

I really don't want to go through the same experience I did the first time in order to get the problem "fixed" (multiple trips to the dealership with no fix or diagnosis because the problem wouldn't reproduce in the shop), but I only see two options for myself:

Option 1) Drive the car for another 6 months and wait for the CEL to come on so often that there is no way they won't be able to get it to happen in the shop. This sucks, because I can't go to the track, and it means driving a car that has a problem in order to make the problem worse, which fundamentally bothers me.

Option B) Pay a bunch of money for replacement coils and labor.

Does anyone have any better ideas? Has anyone been able to get something like this fixed by calling Subaru Corporate?

Thanks in advance,
Ed

[strat61caster]

I did it myself, took me two hours because I dropped a screw and I was slow.

Edit: Had poor info on cylinder numbering, see later posts.

This also jives with your story, front left swapped with rear left, the same one is failing as it was before.

Seeing as you posted in the thread I pulled this from I assume you know about it:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...&postcount=198

Here's the part for ~$100


This is why this car has been a disappointment for me, I no longer see the benefits of warranty if you have to jump through hoops to get basic things done

After installing the new coilpack the next track day I only got P0011, so at least my coil packs are good

Edit: And as you can tell from reading the thread I linked some people have resigned themselves to replacing coils on a nearly yearly basis.

[edward]

start61caster, Thanks for your quick response.

I apologize for the confusion, I am definitely aware of how to do it myself, but I really don't want to pay for parts when the car is still under warranty. My main purpose for posting (I should have been more clear, my apologies once again) was to ask if anyone had figured out a way to get Subaru to make the repairs.

Edit: Also, thank you for clarifying the cylinder numbers.

Thanks,
Ed

[Estey]

Originally Posted by edward

start61caster, Thanks for your quick response.

I apologize for the confusion, I am definitely aware of how to do it myself, but I really don't want to pay for parts when the car is still under warranty. My main purpose for posting (I should have been more clear, my apologies once again) was to ask if anyone had figured out a way to get Subaru to make the repairs.

Edit: Also, thank you for clarifying the cylinder numbers.

Thanks,
Ed

I planned on bringing it to the dealership, and demanding they show in writing, that they cover that code under warranty before running the diagnostic. I had checked the code through an odbii sensor and I didnt clear it, but i didnt want to risk running the diagnostic with nothing to show for it. So I tried to make the CEL appear again before I went to the dealership but failed terribly. Whenever I took it past 6000 rpms, it used to throw the code, so i stopped driving it hard. but when I went to drive it hard on my way to the dealership, i could not get the light to come on lol, so I just didnt go to my appointment.

[jdrmoney]

Originally Posted by Estey

I planned on bringing it to the dealership, and demanding they show in writing, that they cover that code under warranty before running the diagnostic. I had checked the code through an odbii sensor and I didnt clear it, but i didnt want to risk running the diagnostic with nothing to show for it. So I tried to make the CEL appear again before I went to the dealership but failed terribly. Whenever I took it past 6000 rpms, it used to throw the code, so i stopped driving it hard. but when I went to drive it hard on my way to the dealership, i could not get the light to come on lol, so I just didnt go to my appointment.

I can get mine to throw the code when the car has been running for a while and is hot. If I try first thing in the morning it won't. Mine happens FOT going from second to third and about 7000 RPMs. Check engine light flashes, code comes up. I haven't even tried to go to the dealership yet because I have read a lot of forums and everyone says the dealership didn't do anything. I know a lot of people that track they cars get this. I wish I had the link to one article that points out that that side of the engine gets real hot and that is when the coil starts to fail and throw the code. Some people put heat tape on the top of the coil. Some food for thought

[steve99]

Originally Posted by edward

Hey all,

I have a 2013 BRZ that's been having some issues.

About a year ago, it started throwing P0351 (Ignition Coil A) codes on the street, usually around ~5300-ish RPM at full throttle. After 3 trips to the dealership for diagnosis (and many hours of warranty labor) the dealership (Stevens Creek Subaru) swapped the two coils on the left side of the engine. (As I understand it, Coil A corresponds to cylinder #1 (front left), and Coil B corresponds to cylinder #3 (rear left)). This fixed the problem, however my service advisor told me that it was likely a temporary fix, and to let him know if the CEL comes back (and for which cylinder if it did come back.) Note: They did not replace the coils, they simply swapped the coils for cylinders 1 and 3.

Long story short: My car is throwing ignition coil codes again.

Everything was great until a few weeks ago when I was at Laguna Seca for a track day: The car started throwing CEL code P0352 (Coil B), which makes it seem like the first coil that was failing (cylinder #1) is now starting to fail again on cylinder #3. Thinking it might just be knocking on crappy California winter fuel, I put a few gallons of 101 octane fuel in the car, which seemed to reduce the frequency that the light was coming on, but it did not eliminate it. The code seemed to be thrown most often when accelerating up the straightaway at full throttle, and it always occurs when the engine is near roughly ~5300 RPM.

Anyways, I called a different dealership (my service advisor at Stevens Creek Subaru left, and he was the main reason I went there as there are closer dealerships to my home) and tried to set up a service appointment to get the ignition coils replaced, but they said that they have to diagnose the problem themselves before they can do anything.

I really don't want to go through the same experience I did the first time in order to get the problem "fixed" (multiple trips to the dealership with no fix or diagnosis because the problem wouldn't reproduce in the shop), but I only see two options for myself:

Option 1) Drive the car for another 6 months and wait for the CEL to come on so often that there is no way they won't be able to get it to happen in the shop. This sucks, because I can't go to the track, and it means driving a car that has a problem in order to make the problem worse, which fundamentally bothers me.

Option B) Pay a bunch of money for replacement coils and labor.

Does anyone have any better ideas? Has anyone been able to get something like this fixed by calling Subaru Corporate?

Thanks in advance,
Ed

Are you guys taking car to dealer with CEL light still on ?

If your clearing code/light with obd tool
Resetting ECU by power removal
or reflashing to stock tune (flash resets ecu)

then you erasing all evidence. even stored codes.

[Estey]

Originally Posted by jdrmoney

I can get mine to throw the code when the car has been running for a while and is hot. If I try first thing in the morning it won't. Mine happens FOT going from second to third and about 7000 RPMs. Check engine light flashes, code comes up. I haven't even tried to go to the dealership yet because I have read a lot of forums and everyone says the dealership didn't do anything. I know a lot of people that track they cars get this. I wish I had the link to one article that points out that that side of the engine gets real hot and that is when the coil starts to fail and throw the code. Some people put heat tape on the top of the coil. Some food for thought

Yeah, I learned that theyre only covered under the 36k mile warranty. Youre probably right. My engine wasnt hot enough, but I bought a new ignition coil and replaced it myself. Such an easy install, but the limited amount of space was somewhat of a pain. It feels so much better to be able to smash the throttle with no worries of throwing a CEL haha, and replacing it myself was much more rewarding than dealing with dealer BS

I believe youre talking about the #3 coil next to the exhaust. I read that somewhere too. Theres some correlation, but its placement probably isnt solely responsible for the coil failures. Mine was the #2 on the drivers side, closest to the front bumper.

[edward]

The dealership traced the issue to a faulty wiring harness causing a bad sensor value to be seen by the ECU. The dealership replaced the wiring harness under warranty and the issue has been resolved!

[whataboutbob]

I am having similar issues with my car right now. I'll post up the details a bit later. Thanks to the OP for starting this thread as I think my harness may be failing as well.

[whataboutbob]

Part number SU003-04463, $375 retail at the Toyota dealer. This is a revised part number. There is a TSB for issues with the harness on the early year model cars: TSB-S_SB_0013-14. Which apparently references random misfires and stalling among other things.

[strat61caster]

Awesome, I got two more codes at my last track day, do you know if it's entirely the harness or if there's some element to do with the coilpacks failing as well, maybe in conjunction with the harness?

I may order this instead of 2x coilpacks for my next track day, especially if anyone else can confirm.

Mine has never shown itself on the street so I'd be surprised if a dealership is willing to help me out, but I may make the effort once again...

[sickmint79]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

I did it myself, took me two hours because I dropped a screw and I was slow.

P0352 is actually coil "B" or #2 which is the one closest to the driver side.
I believe this is correct:

Front Left -- Front Right
#1-A ------ #3-C
#2-B ------ #4-D
Driver ---- Passenger

This also jives with your story, front left swapped with rear left, the same one is failing as it was before.

Seeing as you posted in the thread I pulled this from I assume you know about it:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...&postcount=198

Here's the part for ~$100


This is why this car has been a disappointment for me, I no longer see the benefits of warranty if you have to jump through hoops to get basic things done

After installing the new coilpack the next track day I only got P0011, so at least my coil packs are good

Edit: And as you can tell from reading the thread I linked some people have resigned themselves to replacing coils on a nearly yearly basis.

1 is front right
3 is rear right

my experience is

1 died (stock)
3 died (stock + swaintech ceramic coated header)
1 died (gold foil + coated header)

if heat is the problem the above steps have failed to address it. since 1 seems most common and since the most common failures are all above the header it certainly still seems suspect.

[sickmint79]

Originally Posted by whataboutbob

Part number SU003-04463, $375 retail at the Toyota dealer. This is a revised part number. There is a TSB for issues with the harness on the early year model cars: TSB-S_SB_0013-14. Which apparently references random misfires and stalling among other things.

1. question on this, i'm out of warranty and never been in for a TSB. can i just come in and wave my hands around and get this done for free?

2. is this really about our issue? the description doesn't seem like it? or at least is pointing to the camshaft sensor

Scion: camshaft position sensor clearance is out of specification, causing intake and/or exhaust camshaft position sensor and/or engine to misfire and some vehicles may experience rough idle or extended cranking. model 2013 fr-s.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by sickmint79

1 is front right
3 is rear right

You are correct, I'll ammend my post to prevent future confusion.

From the shop manuals to confirm.