Had a loss of power in my fit with a flashing yellow check engine light a month ago. Pep boys checked it and said I had a faulty ignition coil. I paid for a tune up and to change the ignition coil. Now a month later I have the same problem again. When I checked it at Autozone they said cylinder number 3 was misfiring. My FIT is an 09 with 170K miles. Does anyone know if this is a common problem with FITs of this age? Does anyone know if it could be something else? Just out of curiosity, could anyone do something to a car to make a cylinder misfire? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Just make sure you get the Hitachi coil.

 

You should change all the ignition coils at the same time and Hitachi like the man says!

Also torque all those spark plugs. To at least 16 ft-lbs. Some people suggest higher. A loose plug can cause that problem.

 

The Honda dealer was going to 'ding' me a second time on an ignition coil when the whole time it was loose spark plugs. Personally, I've never heard of the coils going bad.

BTW, after realizing I got screwed by the dealer, I tightened all of my spark plugs (took several times and eventually used some blue threadlocker) and have continued to use (last +30,000 miles on '11 Sport AT ~85k total on it) the original ignition coils, including the one the dealer said was bad.

Always check your spark plugs first before replacing a ignition coil when you have a misfire code.

 

Good news you got it sorted. Mine were snug after 89k this January when I did mine, guess I'm lucky. I've seen the average life of a coil here at around 160k, so I replaced all of mine at 89 when I had the car apart for a valve lash adjust. I really didn't want to take it all apart again for a coil.

 

If you're good with your left hand, you can reach in behind the engine and unsnap the wiring harness for #1 cylinder and use a 10mm socket / wrench to undo the coil pack and remove. I could have all four out in less than 20 mins. I would also do the spark plugs that way but that adds more time. Have to work your way across (#1, #2, etc) so there's room to bring the coil pack out to the left.

When the Honda dealer did that first coil pack on #2 cylinder, they were done in 30 mins, so not sure who is really doing it the right way.

Yes, the first time, I took off the wiper blades, cowling, HVAC airbox components, and properly torqued each spark plug, but #2 and #3 came loose again. So, I just started reaching in with my left hand / arm and doing it. And again, the last time I touch the spark plugs, I used blue threadlocker, and they have stayed tight (assumption since no misfire codes anymore).

I'm going to wait until I actually have a coil pack problem before changing a coil pack. I'm never too far from home, so no big deal limping home if it happens.

We have a '09 CIVIC and the coils and plugs are on the front of the engine with easy access. In a way, I sort of cheated. Everything on the FIT is the same on the CIVIC just hidden.

 

My problem is I have big hands and proportionally large arms. Not trying to flex or brag or be an ass or anything, I just can't get back there. I remember seeing a guy doing the same reach around you're talking about, I just can't get back there. Oh well..

 

Yes, then you're stuck with doing the 'Full Monty'. I wasn't bragging either but got extremely pissed off at the time. I employed the 'reach-around' after I did the full removal / torque everything and the plugs came loose again. That's when I added a dab of Permatex paste (blue) on each plug and it's held together for many miles.

Years later, I heard from a Honda tech I ran into later and he said the loose plugs was a known problem and some guys would change coil packs all day long ($160 ea plus $50 labor plus $50 diagnosis) an never fix the loose plug so the customer would get misfire code again and bring it back. Maybe they were more lazy than criminal.

 

My inability to fix the acceleration problem with my fit and the check engine light have caused me to sell my FIT. It is a sad day indeed. I owned it for 12+ years and put 177K miles on it. Yesterday was the death of my FIT ownership.

 

That sucks. What all did you end up doing and what car did you buy?