P0353 — Ignition coil C: primary control circuit/open

P0353 indicates an ignition-coil C primary-control circuit fault. The letter identifies an ignition output, not universally cylinder 3; one assembly may serve several plugs. It applies to spark-ignition systems and does not prove the coil itself has failed.

Affected system: Powertrain

Symptoms

• Misfire, vibration, weak acceleration or reduced power.
• Steady/flashing engine lamp; possible hard/no starting.

Possible causes

• Open/shorted control wiring, corroded pins or interrupted supply.
• Damaged coil or oil/water-affected insulation; faulty driver subject to testing.

What to check

• Record P0353, freeze-frame and misfire codes; determine whether one or several ignition outputs are affected.
• Identify output/coil C, pins and served cylinders from OEM diagrams; do not automatically replace cylinder 3's coil.
• With ignition off, inspect connectors, insulation, plug wells and oil/water/arcing evidence.
• Check fuse and loaded supply, applicable ground and control-wire integrity to diagram.
• Compare primary command and secondary operation with suitable equipment; resistance tests are not universal for electronic/diode-equipped coils. Prove the cause before replacement.

Also written as: P0353-00, P035300, PO353 (some scan tools add the fault-type byte, e.g. -00).