My cars been running really rough lately. I assumed misfire. It only occassionally throws a CEL and then if I turn it off it goes away. My car is a 03 1.8TQ and has roughly 72k on it. I purchased it on lease turn in for cheap since it had some front end damage to it that I fixed. Now it's my turn to run through the car and get all the maintenance done on it.

I called the dealer since the problem began and priced out new plugs and coil packs. $162.48 for both. Needless to say, I purchased them today. I think I got a great price.

Gonna replace them and hope that my rough idling goes away. It only does it on cold starts and if I keep turning the car off and back on, it tends to go away when it's been started a few times. Doesn't do it all the time, just sometimes.

If you think it might be something other than just replacing plugs and coil packs let me know. I thought from reading TSB's that coil packs possibly went bad on my car. And for all I know, neither plugs nor packs have been replaced.

 

coils i think are 104/ for 4.. and plugs are 60 for platinums.. so i guess you got a good deal, esp from the dealer

 

If it keeps throwing a CEL..... get the code, that will TELL you what your problem is.

 

I doubt its the coils or the plugs ( sounds like idle problem or cold start ) but without codes you throw the coin

 

If my code goes away, does the ECU store it then. It rarely comes on. And when it does, it's when the car is running really bad. After I shut it off, it goes away.

 

It should store it for around 40 ignition cycles. So it should be there. Sounds more like an engine coolant temp sensor/ cabon buildup problem.