Ignition Coil C Primary Control Circuit/Open
What it means
P0353 means the engine computer has detected an open or fault in the primary control circuit of ignition coil C (cylinder 3 on most engines). That cylinder can stop firing, so you may feel a misfire, rough idle and lost power; a steady misfire can also overheat and damage the catalytic converter.
Can I keep driving? Drive gently and briefly — a dead cylinder sends raw fuel to the catalytic converter, which a sustained misfire can destroy; fix it promptly.
Real-world scan data
Appears alongside · share of P0353 scans
Figures reflect only diagnostic scans recorded through our own apps and tools. Cars are typically scanned because a symptom or warning light prompted it, so these counts describe our scan records — not the incidence of faults in any model, and not the quality, reliability, or safety of any vehicle. No comparison between manufacturers or models is implied. All trademarks belong to their respective owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Common symptoms
What you'll notice
- Check-engine light on (may flash during an active misfire)
- Misfire and rough idle
- Reduced power and hesitation
- Possible hard starting
Common causes
Most likely first
- Failed ignition coil CLikely
- Damaged wiring or connector at the coilCommon
- Poor or corroded coil connectionCommon
- Faulty coil driver in the ECM (rare)Less often
How to diagnose & fix
Work through it in order
- Check for a cylinder-specific misfire code (P0303) to confirm which cylinder is affected.
- Swap coil C with a known-good coil and see if the fault follows the coil.
- Inspect the coil connector and wiring for damage, looseness or corrosion.
- Replace the faulty ignition coil.
- If wiring and the coil are good, test the ECM coil driver circuit.
FAQ
Quick answers
Is it safe to drive with P0353?+
Can I just clear P0353?+
Related codes
Read & clear P0353 yourself
Scan your car, confirm the code, and clear it once it's fixed — with OBD DashX on your phone.