The ignition coil in your 1995-1997 1.8L Toyota Corolla generates spark only when the igniter triggers it.
If the igniter fails, it won't activate the ignition coil, meaning no spark to any of the 4 spark plugs —resulting in an engine no-start condition.
The good news? Testing the igniter is pretty easy, and in this tutorial, I'll walk you through the exact steps to check if it's working properly.
By the end, you'll know whether your igniter is in good shape or needs to be replaced.
With your test results, you'll quickly figure out if it's in good shape or needs replacing.
NOTE: The igniter is also known as the ignition control module.
Contents of this tutorial:
- Symptoms Of A Bad Igniter.
- Igniter Circuit Descriptions.
- Basic Operation Theory Of The Igniter.
- Where To Buy The Igniter.
- TEST 1: Making Sure The Igniter Is Getting Power.
- TEST 2: Making Sure The Igniter Is Getting Ground.
- TEST 3: Testing The Igniter Control Signal.
- TEST 4: Testing The Ignition Coil Activation Signal.
- More 1.8L Toyota Corolla Tutorials.
APPLIES TO: This tutorial applies to the following vehicles:
- 1.8L (7A-FE) Toyota Corolla: 1995, 1996, 1997.
- 1.8L Geo Prizm: 1995, 1996, 1997.
IMPORTANT: Before testing the igniter, check the ignition coil for spark first.
If at least one spark plug wire is sparking, then the igniter's doing its job, and you don't need to test it. If you haven't checked for spark yet, do that first:
Ignition System Wiring Diagrams:
- Ignition System Wiring Diagram (1995 1.8L Toyota Corolla).
- Ignition System Wiring Diagram (1996-1997 1.8L Toyota Corolla).
Distributor Pickup Coil And CKP Sensor Tests:
- How To Test The Distributor Pickup Coil (1995-1997 1.8L Toyota Corolla).
- How To Test The CKP Sensor (1995-1997 1.8L Toyota Corolla).
Engine No-Start Basics:
Other Igniter Test Tutorials:
Symptoms Of A Bad Igniter
The igniter is key to both starting your Corolla's engine and keeping it running. It works alongside the fuel injection computer to handle:
- Ignition coil activation: Turns the ignition coil on and off to create a spark.
- Ignition timing control: Manages when and how long the ignition coil fires.
- Spark event feedback: Sends signals to the fuel injection computer, confirming the engine's cranking or running, which then activates the fuel pump and injectors.
If the igniter fails, the ignition coil won't spark, so the spark plugs get nothing. Worse, the fuel pump and injectors won't switch on, leaving the engine without spark or fuel —which means it's not gonna start.
Igniter Circuit Descriptions
You'll find the igniter mounted on the driver-side strut tower, right next to the diagnostic link connector (DLC). Check out image 2 of 2 in the viewer above —the orange arrow marks exactly where it is.
The igniter's connector has five wires, each handling a specific task. Here's a quick rundown:
| 1995 Corolla | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pin | Wire Color | Description |
| 1 | Black with yellow stripe (BLK/YEL) | IGF → Ignition coil firing feedback |
| 2 | Black (BLK) | IGT → Igniter control signal |
| 3 | Black with orange stripe (BLK/ORG) | +B → Battery power |
| 4 | Black (BLK) | IG- → Tachometer signal |
| 5 | Black (BLK) | +B2 → Ignition coil control signal |
| 1996-1997 Corolla | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pin | Wire Color | Description |
| 1 | Blue with yellow stripe (BLU/YEL) | IGF → Ignition coil firing feedback |
| 2 | Yellow with green stripe (YEL/GRN) | IGT → Igniter control signal |
| 3 | Black with orange stripe (BLK/ORG) | +B → Battery power |
| 4 | Black (BLK) | IG- → Tachometer signal |
| 5 | Black (BLK) | +B2 → Ignition coil control signal |
NOTE: The igniter's harness connector has female metal terminals. To check certain signals while it's connected, you'll need a back probe or a wire-piercing probe on the connector's wires.
Basic Operation Theory Of The Igniter
When you turn the key and crank your 1995-1997 Toyota Corolla's 1.8L (7A-FE) engine, a chain reaction of events kicks off behind the scenes to create and send spark to all four cylinders.
Here's a breakdown of how the ignition system does its thing:
- Powering up the igniter: The ignition switch delivers 10 to 12 Volts DC to the igniter.
- This voltage runs through the black with orange stripe (BLK/ORG) wire, which connects to terminal 3 of the igniter's 5-wire connector. This circuit also powers the ignition coil.
- Signals from the pickup coil and CKP sensor: As the engine turns over:
- The distributor's pickup coil generates a G2 signal and sends it straight to the fuel injection computer.
- The crankshaft position (CKP) sensor produces the NE signal, which also heads to the fuel injection computer.
- IGT signal: Once the ECM processes the NE and G2 signals, it sends out the ignition timing (IGT) signal to the igniter.
- The igniter takes this IGT signal and uses it to fire the ignition coil.
- 1995: The black (BLK) wire that connects to the igniter's connector terminal 2 is the wire that delivers the IGT signal to the igniter.
- 1996-1997: The yellow with green stripe (YEL/GRN) wire that connects to the igniter's connector terminal 2 is the wire that delivers the IGT signal to the igniter.
- Ignition coil activation: Once the igniter gets the IGT signal, it sends a +B2 signal to the ignition coil.
- The black (BLK) wire delivers this +B2 signal from terminal 5 of the igniter to the ignition coil.
- This +B2 signal is an ON/OFF signal that activates the ignition coil to generate a spark.
- IGF signal: Once the ignition coil fires, the igniter sends an ignition feedback (IGF) signal back to the fuel injection computer.
- This IGF signal tells the fuel injection computer that a spark event occurred, which then activates the fuel pump and injectors.
Now that you've got the basics, let's move on to testing the igniter.
Where To Buy The Igniter
The following links will help you shop for the igniter made by Delphi (a well-known and solid automotive brand) and cheaper priced X-brand:
NOTE: Not sure if the igniter fits your particular Corolla? Don't worry. Once you get to the site, they'll ask you the specifics of your vehicle. If it doesn't fit, they'll find you the right one.
TEST 1: Making Sure The Igniter Is Getting Power
IMPORTANT: If the ignition coil is sparking and sending that spark to all four cylinders, then the igniter's doing its job. If you haven't checked for spark yet and need help doing it, this tutorial will walk you through the process:
Now, to get this show on the road, we'll start by checking that the igniter is getting power (between 10 and 12 Volts DC) using a multimeter set to Volts DC mode.
The black with orange stripe (BLK/ORG) wire, which connects to the female terminal labeled number 3 (see the photo above), is responsible for delivering these 10 to 12 Volts to the igniter.
Once we confirm the igniter's got power, we'll move on to TEST 2 and check if it's getting Ground.
Let's dive in:
- 1
Disconnect the igniter from its 5-wire connector.
- 2
Place the black multimeter lead on the battery's negative (-) terminal.
- 3
Have a helper turn the key to the ON position.
- 4
Switch your multimeter to Volts DC mode.
- 5
Probe female terminal number 3 of the 5-wire connector with the red multimeter lead.
NOTE: Double-check that terminal number 3 of the igniter's 5-wire connector corresponds to the BLK/ORG wire. - 6
Your multimeter should show a reading of 10 to 12 Volts DC.
Here's what your results tell you:
CASE 1: 10 to 12 Volts are present in terminal 3. That's the correct and expected test result. Now, you gotta check if the igniter's getting Ground.
To check if the igniter is getting Ground, go to: TEST 2: Making Sure The Igniter Is Getting Ground.
CASE 2: 10 to 12 Volts ARE NOT present in terminal 3. That means the igniter isn't working because it's not receiving battery power from the ignition switch.
You'll need to figure out why the power's missing and fix the issue. Once power is restored, the igniter should start working again.
TEST 2: Making Sure The Igniter Is Getting Ground
After confirming in TEST 1 that the igniter's getting power, the next step is checking if it's properly Grounded.
Unlike some other engine management parts that have a dedicated Ground wire, the igniter Grounds itself through its metal casing.
Since it's bolted to the driver-side strut tower, and the battery's negative (-) cable is connected to the chassis, the vehicle's metal body creates a direct Grounding path (chassis Ground).
We're gonna use a multimeter to check for continuity between the igniter's case and the battery's negative (-) post to confirm it's properly Grounded.
If everything's good, the multimeter should show continuity between the case and the battery's negative (-) post.
Let's get started:
- 1
Disconnect the igniter from its 5-wire electrical connector.
- 2
Unhook the battery's positive (+) cable.
NOTE: Leave the negative (-) cable connected to the battery's negative (-) post. - 3
Set your multimeter to Ohms (Ω) mode.
- 4
Touch one of the multimeter leads to the igniter's metal case.
- 5
Place the other lead on the center of the battery's negative (-) post.
- 6
The multimeter should show continuity.
A low resistance reading (1 Ohm or less) confirms the igniter's properly Grounded.
If there's no continuity (infinite resistance or OL on the display), then the igniter isn't Grounded.
Here's what your results mean:
CASE 1: The igniter has continuity to Ground. That's exactly what you want.
Next up, we're gonna make sure the igniter's getting the IGT signal from the fuel injection computer. Head over to: TEST 3: Testing The Igniter Control Signal.
CASE 2: The igniter DOES NOT have continuity to Ground. Corrosion or poor contact between the igniter's case and its mounting surface is usually the culprit.
Check and clean the igniter's mounting points to restore proper metal-to-metal contact. Once it's Grounded correctly, the igniter should start working again.