OBD-I Codes List

Ford 221 Spark timing error

Make
Ford (1981-1995)
Category
Powertrain - Ignition
Severity
Check Engine Light

How to read it

Code 221 reads as 2 flashes, pause, 2 flashes, pause, 1 flash 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 221 mean?

Spark timing error

Common causes of 221

  • The spark timing reported to the PCM sits outside the expected value.
  • The ICM signal for spark timing is intermittent or wrong.
  • The wiring and connector between the ICM and the PCM are damaged.
  • The PCM cannot hold spark timing.

How to fix 221

  1. Check the wiring and connector between the ICM and the PCM for damage.
  2. Check the spark timing circuit for an intermittent open.
  3. Test the ICM and replace it only if it fails its own test.
  4. Test the ECM last, only after every circuit test has passed.
  5. Clear the code, then retest to confirm spark timing reads correctly.

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 221. Include your vehicle, the issue and a source if you have one.

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