P2300: Ignition Coil A Primary Control Circuit Low

P2300 reports that the control line to ignition coil A is pulled towards ground. GM, Saab and VW assign coil A to cylinder 1. GM's 2019 engine tables check the low-side driver while it is switched off: if the line voltage lies in the band of a short below 100 ohms to ground in 50 of 63 samples (taken every 100 ms, battery above 11 V), the Type A fault turns on the MIL in the first trip. An open line belongs to P0351, a short to supply to P2301, the high-voltage side to P2302, misfire on cylinder 1 to P0301. FCA cured P2300-00 on 2023 Alfa Romeo 2.0 turbo engines with new PCM software. Hino uses the same number for the igniter coil of the exhaust burner on its 2011–2014 trucks. Expect rough running; the module may shut the cylinder off.

Symptoms

• Check engine light on
• Misfire and rough running on cylinder 1
• Noticeable loss of power
• Fuel to cylinder 1 cut off by the engine module

Most likely causes

• Coil A (cylinder 1) with an internal fault pulling the control input to ground
• Control wire of coil A chafed through and touching engine ground
• Water or corrosion in the coil A connector
• Engine module driver or software fault (FCA 2023: PCM reflash)

What to check, in order

Start with the simplest. You can tick off each step.

1. Check the connector and wiring of the coil indicated
2. With the connector unplugged, check whether the signal wire is making contact with ground.
3. Check the condition of the spark plug
4. Swap the coil with another cylinder and see if the code changes
5. Measure the power supply and control signal using the manufacturer's wiring diagram

Good to know

• Repair difficulty: medium
• It can trigger limp mode.
• It affects emissions.

What each character of P2300 means

• P: Powertrain: engine and transmission
• 2: Generic code: same on every make
• 3: Ignition and misfires
• 00: Specific fault in that system

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with code P2300?

Drive as little as possible. If you feel jerking or the light flashes, stop: a misfire can damage the catalytic converter.

What causes code P2300?

The most common causes are: coil A (cylinder 1) with an internal fault pulling the control input to ground; control wire of coil A chafed through and touching engine ground; water or corrosion in the coil A connector.

Related codes

• P2301Ignition Coil A Primary Control Circuit High
• P2302Ignition Coil A Secondary Circuit
• P0351Ignition Coil A Primary Control Circuit/Open
• P2303Ignition Coil B Primary Control Circuit Low
• P0301Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected
• P0300Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected

Sources

• gsi.ext.gm.com: 19OBDG03A Diagnostics
• saabwisonline.com: p2300 00
• newtonnet.co.uk: fordobd2012
• static.nhtsa.gov: MC 10241132 9999

Values and procedures vary by manufacturer. If it affects brakes, steering, fuel or high voltage, see a professional. Updated: 2026-11-04. How we build these pages.