Problem : Repeatedly Burning Up Ignition Coil !!
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2025 9:26 am
Hello Forum
I have a 2009 Pontiac Vibe with 1.8L 4 cylinder engine. I have a problem where this car is repeatedly going thru ignition coils on cylinder #1. In Oct 2023 the check engine light came on and was running rough. Pulled DTC code P0301 - Cylinder #1 BOOT IS STUCK TO SPARK / CYLINDER #1 MISFIRE. Auto repair shop replaced the single ignition coil and all the plugs. Car ran fine for 2 weeks and then the check engine light came on again. Diagnosis was the same issue. Repair shop did a warranty replacement of the ignition coil they just replaced at no cost to me. Here we go again. Car ran fine for 2 more weeks, then check engine light came on / off again. Diag tool pulled stored code. 0301 - CYLINDER #1 MISFIRE. This time repair shop did some more tests, stated engine parameters are good. Compression 150 PSI on all 4 cylinders. Spark plug #1 slightly tan compared to the others. Would need to go further into tear down of the engine to find out why its throwing code. I took the car home, did nothing further and the car ran for 2 yrs without this problem until last week. Check engine light came on and the car could barely run. I haven't pulled the codes yet but I am sure it is the same problem again, ie ignition coil damaged. Clearly there is some issue in this vehicle that is causing the ignition coil to burn up. There is an exhaust leak at the catalytic converter so I don't know if this is the root cause leading to this issue and/or compounding the problem. The first time I had this issue happened also in 2019 where the dealership replaced all the ignition coils and plugs ( went 4 yrs before problem happened again ). When I had the repair done in Oct 2023 the told me the spark plug / ignition coil boot was melted and they had a hard time removing the spark plug. I would like to fix "the real issue" and not just keep replacing ignition coils.
I have a 2009 Pontiac Vibe with 1.8L 4 cylinder engine. I have a problem where this car is repeatedly going thru ignition coils on cylinder #1. In Oct 2023 the check engine light came on and was running rough. Pulled DTC code P0301 - Cylinder #1 BOOT IS STUCK TO SPARK / CYLINDER #1 MISFIRE. Auto repair shop replaced the single ignition coil and all the plugs. Car ran fine for 2 weeks and then the check engine light came on again. Diagnosis was the same issue. Repair shop did a warranty replacement of the ignition coil they just replaced at no cost to me. Here we go again. Car ran fine for 2 more weeks, then check engine light came on / off again. Diag tool pulled stored code. 0301 - CYLINDER #1 MISFIRE. This time repair shop did some more tests, stated engine parameters are good. Compression 150 PSI on all 4 cylinders. Spark plug #1 slightly tan compared to the others. Would need to go further into tear down of the engine to find out why its throwing code. I took the car home, did nothing further and the car ran for 2 yrs without this problem until last week. Check engine light came on and the car could barely run. I haven't pulled the codes yet but I am sure it is the same problem again, ie ignition coil damaged. Clearly there is some issue in this vehicle that is causing the ignition coil to burn up. There is an exhaust leak at the catalytic converter so I don't know if this is the root cause leading to this issue and/or compounding the problem. The first time I had this issue happened also in 2019 where the dealership replaced all the ignition coils and plugs ( went 4 yrs before problem happened again ). When I had the repair done in Oct 2023 the told me the spark plug / ignition coil boot was melted and they had a hard time removing the spark plug. I would like to fix "the real issue" and not just keep replacing ignition coils.