ETC Engine Failsafe after Coil Change

[Machspeed]

I posted a few weeks back regarding some rough idling in my LS (06, 3.9 V8) ultimately to conclude that I had a coil problem. Indeed, #4 cylinder coil was bad. I ordered eight new coils, BWD brand, along with some Autolite lridium XP spark plugs. I didn’t find the job too challenging and when finished she purred like a kitten. In fact, I was very pleased with the new found power. A good two weeks went by and then yesterday I went to start it only to hear from the message center…… “ETC engine failsafe”. I also get a message regarding servicing the emergency brake and the little yellow light was on the EB button. The car was idling fine and sounded good out the exhaust but the power was down. I drove it home disgusted and parked it overnight. This morning I went out and fired it up with no ETC message and a fine running engine. What the hey is this? In the past I've had my message center come on regarding the advancetrak only to have that go away too. The advancetrak thing didn't really bother me, but this ETC engine thing scares me a bit. Any thoughts on this? What new surprises likely await me?

 

[1LoudLS]

sounds like every single case of not using motorcraft coils I have ever read about...




sh!tty coils are sending out RF interference, the computer picks up this interference and thinks its an ETC problem and the car goes into failsafe mode...

at no point does this deviate from the hundred or so cases over the years...




or you could be that 0.003% chance that you have a failing throttle body.

 

[joegr]

Exactly. Also check the spark plug gap, it needs to be 1.0 mm.

 

[Machspeed]

You know, I did a bunch of research on coils before I went with the Borg Warner brand coils. In that research, I found that the factory Motorcraft coils appear to be as problematic as the off brand units. Go to the Ford truck forums and you can read all about them. They too are now made in China. The Borg Warner units I purchased are supposedly made here, though I question that. Moreover, the coils I purchased have a lifetime warranty on them whereas the Motorcraft units do not. I've also had at least two people here with LS's tell me they have Borg Warner coils and all is fine after several thousand miles. Thus, I went with the BW brand coils. I guess we'll see how it all works out. I gapped the plugs at .041. Anyway, thanks fellas. I appreciate your time and commitment here.

 

[joegr]

0.039" would be better, but 0.041" is within spec.

 

[jjcool00]

Did you click in all of the wire harnesses on the coils? On one of mine, the tab broke and I didn't realize it until a couple of days later when it popped out so I zip tied it on. Make sure all of yours are on - you'll hear a click if the tab isn't broken.

 

[toby1234]

Ive had that ETC failsafe mode come on a few times. It will happen every now and then when I start the car up in the morning. As soon as I start it up, the engine revs to about 2k rpm and will idle high for a few seconds before dropping and displaying that message. The car wont go into reverse either. All I do is turn the car off and then turn it back on. Car goes back to normal usually. Sometimes ill have to turn if off twice but she comes around. I think the coils might be acting up now. Or it could just be a feature.

 

[joegr]

... Or it could just be a feature.

Is definitely not a feature.