Ford 218 Loss of ignition diagnostic module signal LH side (dual plug EI)
How to read it
Code 218 reads as 2 flashes, pause, 1 flash, pause, 8 flashes on the check-engine light. Jumper the self-test input to signal return at the test connector, then run the key on engine off self test and the running self test, counting the check-engine flashes each time.
New to flash codes? The How to Read Ford EEC-IV Self-Test Codes walks through the test and what the numbers mean. The general OBD-I guide covers the rest.
What does Ford code 218 mean?
Loss of ignition diagnostic module signal LH side (dual plug EI)
Common causes of 218
- The ignition diagnostic module signal on the left hand side was lost.
- The ignition coil on the left hand side failed.
- The wiring from the left side coil to the PCM is damaged.
- The ECM cannot read the left side diagnostic signal.
How to fix 218
- Check the left hand ignition coil and its connector.
- Check the wiring from the left side coil to the PCM for damage.
- Test the left hand ignition coil and replace it only if it fails its own test.
- Test the ECM last, only after every circuit test has passed.
- Clear the code, then retest to confirm the left side signal returns.
Source
Source review recorded
Sources and review
Review: checked against the recorded source material.
- EEC-IV Ford trouble code table (MIL, description, type)
archived reference page (troublecodes.net via Wayback Machine)
Supports: code identity and meaning
Fetched directly. The three-digit row matches the description used in the data file.
https://web.archive.org/web/20030720231430id_/http://www.troublecodes.net:80/Ford/eec-iv.shtml
- Ford trouble codes, Contour, Escort, Mustang, Probe, Taurus and Tempo 1992-1995 (code, description, probable cause)
archived reference page (troublecodes.net via Wayback Machine)
Supports: code identity and probable causes
Independent table on the same archive site with matching code identity and a probable cause column.
http://web.archive.org/web/20160501223306id_/http://www.troublecodes.net:80/ford/contour-escort-mustang-probe-taurus-tempo-1992-1995/
- Ford EEC-IV trouble code table: code, fault location, probable cause (Crown Victoria, Mustang, Taurus, Thunderbird 1992-1995)
reference page (troublecodes.net)
Supports: per-code probable causes used for the page cause list and test order
Fetched 2026-09-30. The probable cause column is what the page lists, in source order, with the test order built from it.
https://www.troublecodes.net/ford/crown-victoria-mustang-cobralxgt-taurus-thunderbird-1992-1995/
Last updated 2026-10-10.
Report a correction for 218. Include your vehicle, the issue and a source if you have one.