P0353
Ignition Coil C Primary Control Circuit/Open
Ignition / misfire
Generic OBD-II
High
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.
High
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.
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?+
Only briefly. A dead cylinder means unburned fuel reaching the catalytic converter, which a sustained misfire can overheat and destroy — especially if the light is flashing. Fix it promptly.
Can I just clear P0353?+
It will return within a few starts unless the coil or its wiring is repaired. Clearing it won't restore the missing spark.
Related codes
Often seen with P0353
Read & clear P0353 yourself
Scan your car, confirm the code, and clear it once it's fixed — with OBD DashX on your phone.
✓ Verified name — SAE J2012 / ISO 15031-6Guidance reviewed by OBD DashX