Ignition Coil Secondary
2016 Toyota Camry · 2.5L I4
Sensor Type
inductive
Waveform Type
pulse-width
Location
Secondary output from coil-on-plug assembly to spark plug, measured at coil tower
Pins
1-pin connector
Idle Frequency
20 Hz
Timebase
5ms/div
Voltage Scale
5kV/div
Trigger
2kV, rising edge
Wiring
N/A - measured using capacitive pickup or piercing probe at coil boot
Expected Voltage Range
At Idle
-5000V to 35000V
At Higher RPM
-5000V to 40000V
Expected Pattern
Sharp firing spike to 8-15kV, spark line at 2-4kV for 1-1.5ms duration, followed by coil oscillations and dwell period
Known-Good Waveform
Firing line should reach 8-15kV depending on load and mixture, with immediate transition to horizontal spark line at 2-4kV lasting 1-1.5ms. Spark line should be relatively flat indicating good combustion. Coil oscillations after spark extinction should show 4-6 clean peaks before dwell period begins.
Common Failure Patterns
Firing line exceeds 20kV, shortened or absent spark line
Cause: Worn spark plug with excessive gap or carbon fouling, plug gap should be 0.043 inches
Erratic spark line with voltage spikes or downward slope
Cause: Lean misfire condition or intake valve carbon buildup common on 2AR-FE direct port injection engines
Diagnostic Tips
This 2AR-FE engine commonly develops carbon buildup on intake valves causing lean misfires visible as erratic spark lines. Always use OEM or high-quality coils; aftermarket failures are extremely common within 20k miles.
Related Diagnostic Trouble Codes
P0300P0301P0302P0303
Always confirm waveform data with your vehicle's OEM service manual before diagnosing.
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