I have a fabia 1.2 2005 with 21000 miles on clock . Recently I have had 2 breakdowns caused by cylinder 1 and cylinder 2 coil packs failing (separately) These were replaced and as a precaution I had the cylinder 3 coil pack changed too.

Should I guess that this is now sorted or:

1. Are the coil packs prone to failure

2. Is there anything in the engine that can cause the coil packs to fail (and therefore should be checked)

Thanks,

Peter

Coil packs fail on loads of cars, and are a weak spot due to their location, sitting on a roasting hot cylinder head. My advice, carry a spare coil pack.

I had a coil pack go recently with only 12000 miles on the clock. It happened during the cold weather and I'm not sure if this had a part to play as the pack went during start up. On the previous journey the "control system for exhaust" light came on (the one shaped like an engine) and the car ran rough until switched off and restarted. The light is supposed to be related to the exhaust system and therefore not part of the ignition loop but I can't help wondering about the coincidence. Since I changed the coil I have had no more warning lights. Did you get any prior indications or did the car just give up on you?

I had a coil pack go recently with only 12000 miles on the clock. It happened during the cold weather and I'm not sure if this had a part to play as the pack went during start up. On the previous journey the "control system for exhaust" light came on (the one shaped like an engine) and the car ran rough until switched off and restarted. The light is supposed to be related to the exhaust system and therefore not part of the ignition loop but I can't help wondering about the coincidence. Since I changed the coil I have had no more warning lights. Did you get any prior indications or did the car just give up on you?

i had a coil pack go on my 56 plate astra (48000 miles) last monday, and the "exhaust/ emissions" warning light came on, and has now gone since repairing the coil pack, no other faults read on the fault reader thing!

I had a coil pack go recently with only 12000 miles on the clock. It happened during the cold weather and I'm not sure if this had a part to play as the pack went during start up. On the previous journey the "control system for exhaust" light came on (the one shaped like an engine) and the car ran rough until switched off and restarted. The light is supposed to be related to the exhaust system and therefore not part of the ignition loop but I can't help wondering about the coincidence. Since I changed the coil I have had no more warning lights. Did you get any prior indications or did the car just give up on you?

This is exactly what happened on the first breakdown. On the second it went with such force that it took the ignition fuse down and stopped the engine. Re the 'engine symbol light' question you raised. When your coil pack failed, that cylinder was still sucking in fuel and expelling it unburnt. The sensor in the exhaust sniffed the unburnt fuel and put the fault light on.

I just cant figure out if this car is unreliable and whether to part exchange it for a conventional engine with 4 cylinders and one coil !