P0355 on 2006-2012 Toyota RAV4 3.5L V6: Ignition Coil 'E' Circuit Causes and Fixes

What's Unique About the 2006-2012 Toyota RAV4

The key challenge with this code on the RAV4's 2GR-FE engine is the location of the faulty cylinder. Cylinder #5 is part of the rear cylinder bank (Bank 1), which is positioned tightly against the firewall. Accessing this coil isn't a simple task; it requires the removal of the upper intake manifold plenum, and often the plastic wiper cowl and wiper motor assembly 🎬 See how to remove the cowl and intake manifold plenum. for better access. This turns a potentially quick 15-minute fix on an exposed front cylinder into a multi-hour job, making the diagnosis and repair strategy much more involved.

Symptoms You May Notice

• Check Engine Light is on (may be flashing in severe misfire conditions)
• Rough idle or engine vibration
• Noticeable loss of engine power and poor acceleration
• Engine hesitation or stumbling
• Reduced fuel economy
• Engine may stall when coming to a stop

Most Likely Causes

1. Failed Ignition Coil (Cylinder #5) 🔴 High Probability → Shop Ignition Coil Ignition coil failure is a well-documented common issue on the Toyota 2GR-FE engine family. The rear bank coils, particularly cylinder #5, are subjected to more heat soak due to their location against the firewall with less airflow, contributing to a higher failure rate over time.
   How to confirm: Because cylinder #5 is hard to access, the easiest confirmation is to first check for codes P0351-P0356. If you only have P0355, the coil is the prime suspect. A definitive but labor-intensive test is to swap the cylinder #5 coil with a coil from the front bank (e.g., cylinder #2). If the code changes to P0352 after clearing and re-running, the coil is faulty. If P0355 returns, the issue is in the wiring or ECM.
   Typical fix: Replace the ignition coil. Due to the high labor cost to access the rear bank, it is standard practice to replace all three rear ignition coils (cylinders 1, 3, 5), all six spark plugs (if they are due for replacement), and the intake plenum gaskets at the same time. This prevents having to do the same labor-intensive job again if another rear coil fails soon after.
   Est. part cost: $70-$100 per coil (OEM Denso)
2. Damaged Wiring or Connector ⚪ Low Probability Wiring can become brittle from engine heat cycles. Rodent damage is also a possibility, where mice chew on the wiring harnesses located in the protected space at the back of the engine.
   How to confirm: After accessing the coil, visually inspect the connector and wiring harness for any signs of brittleness, corrosion, melting, or chew marks. Use a multimeter to check for 12V power, ground, and continuity of the IGT and IGF signal wires between the coil connector and the ECM. 🎬 Watch: How to fix common wiring issues for these codes. A persistent P0355 after swapping a known-good coil points strongly to a wiring issue.
   Typical fix: Repair the damaged section of the wiring harness or replace the connector pigtail. In cases of rodent damage, extensive harness repair may be necessary.
   Est. part cost: $15-$30 for a connector pigtail

Rare But Worth Checking

• Failed Engine Control Module (ECM): → Shop Engine Control Module (ECM) This is very rare. Before condemning the ECM, all other possibilities, including a faulty new coil or wiring issues, must be exhaustively ruled out. An ECM failure would typically require professional diagnosis. There was a TSB (TSB-0047-10) for some 2GR-FE engines where the ECM was the cause of similar codes, but this is not a common outcome for the RAV4. One forum user with a persistent P0355 even after coil swaps and wiring checks ultimately suspected the ECM.

Diagnosis Steps

1. Scan the vehicle's computer for all stored trouble codes. Confirm P0355 is present. Note if P0305 or other coil codes (P0351, P0352, etc.) are also present.
2. Identify the cylinder banks. On the RAV4's transverse 3.5L V6, Bank 1 (cylinders 1, 3, 5) is against the firewall. Bank 2 (cylinders 2, 4, 6) is at the front. Cylinder #5 is the middle cylinder on the rear bank.
3. Due to the difficulty of access, it's often more practical to assume a failed coil and proceed with the repair, as it's the most probable cause.
4. To perform the repair, you must remove the upper intake manifold (plenum). This typically involves removing the engine cover, air intake tube, throttle body, various brackets, hoses, and electrical connectors. For better access, removing the wiper arms and the plastic cowl panel is also recommended.
5. Once the manifold is off, you have access to the three rear coils. You can now perform a coil swap if you wish to be 100% certain. Swap the coil from cylinder #5 with the coil from cylinder #2 (front bank). Reassemble everything, clear codes, and see if the fault code changes to P0352. If it does, the coil is bad.
6. If the code remains P0355 after the swap, inspect the wiring connector for cylinder #5 for damage, corrosion, or loose pins. Test the harness for 12V power, ground, and signal continuity back to the ECM.
7. If wiring is confirmed good, the fault may lie within the ECM, which is a rare but possible failure.

Parts You'll Likely Need

• Ignition Coil (OEM #90919-A2007 (supersedes 90919-A2004, 90919-02251)) — This is the most common failure point for code P0355 on this engine. It is highly recommended to replace all three rear coils at once. OEM Denso coils often have the Toyota part number ground off.
  Trusted brands: Denso (OEM), NGK
  OEM price range: $70-$100
  Aftermarket price range: $40-$75
• Spark Plugs (OEM #90919-01247 (Denso FK20HR11)) — Since accessing the rear bank requires significant labor, it is cost-effective to replace all six spark plugs during the coil replacement job, especially if they are near their 120,000-mile service life.
  Trusted brands: Denso (OEM), NGK
  OEM price range: $12-$20 per plug
  Aftermarket price range: $8-$15 per plug
• Intake Manifold Gasket Set (OEM #17176-0P021) — The upper intake manifold must be removed to access the rear coils. The gaskets are considered a one-time-use part and must be replaced to prevent vacuum leaks upon reassembly.
  Trusted brands: Fel-Pro (MS 96786), Mahle, Toyota OEM
  OEM price range: $30-$50
  Aftermarket price range: $15-$30

Related Codes That Often Appear With This One

• P0305 — P0305 means 'Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected.' The P0355 circuit fault prevents the coil from firing correctly, which directly causes the misfire that P0305 reports.
• P0300 — This 'Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire' code can appear if the misfire from cylinder 5 is severe enough to disrupt the engine's balance and timing, causing other cylinders to misfire intermittently.
• P0301, P0303 — Misfire codes for the other rear-bank cylinders (1 and 3) might appear alongside P0355 if the underlying issue is related to a shared wiring harness or if the engine is running very poorly.

Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) & Recalls

• TSB-0047-10: While not directly for the RAV4, this TSB was issued for other 2GR-FE powered vehicles and noted that in some rare cases, the ECM itself could be the cause of ignition coil circuit codes.

Mechanic-Grade Diagnostic Values

• Ignition Coil Connector Pin 1 (+B) Voltage — expected: 11-14V (Battery Voltage) with Ignition ON. Failure: 0V or low voltage indicates a problem with the power supply from the IG2 relay.
• Ignition Coil Connector Pin 4 (GND) Integrity — expected: Near 0V and good continuity to chassis ground.. Failure: High resistance or an open circuit to ground indicates a bad ground wire or connection, preventing the coil from functioning.
• Ignition Coil Connector Pin 2 (IGF) Voltage — expected: Approx. 5V with connector disconnected and Ignition ON. Pulses towards ground when the coil fires.. Failure: No voltage or incorrect voltage with key on points to an ECM or wiring issue. If voltage is present but P0355 sets, the ECM is not seeing the confirmation pulse when the engine is running.
• Ignition Coil Connector Pin 3 (IGT) Signal — expected: A square wave pulse from the ECM when cranking or running (requires an oscilloscope to view).. Failure: No pulse from the ECM indicates a wiring fault between the ECM and coil, or a failed ECM driver. This is the 'trigger' signal.
• Aftermarket Ignition Coil Resistance (Reference Only) — expected: Primary: ~0.5Ω ± 0.1Ω; Secondary: ~12 kΩ. Note: OEM Denso does not publish these specs, and testing is often inconclusive due to the internal igniter.. Failure: Significant deviation from these values on an aftermarket coil may indicate failure, but swapping coils is the more reliable test.

Hidden / Shadow Codes Worth Checking

• Mode $06 Misfire Counts: Mode $06 provides raw data from the ECM's self-tests before a formal trouble code is set. For misfires, it shows a running count for each cylinder. A high count on cylinder 5, even without a P0305, can confirm an intermittent issue with the coil or its circuit. (see via A professional scan tool that can access Mode $06 data. Many modern tools will translate the Test IDs (TID) and Component IDs (CID) into plain English, such as 'Cylinder 5 Misfire Count'.)

Scan Tool Commands That Help

• Toyota Techstream: Active Test: Control the Injector / Ignition — After confirming power and ground are good at the coil connector, this bidirectional test allows a technician to command the ECM to fire the cylinder #5 coil with the engine off. Using a spark tester, you can verify if the ECM, wiring, and coil are capable of producing a spark. If it sparks during the test but not when running, it points to a complex engine running condition issue. If it fails to spark, it confirms a hard fault in the coil, wiring, or ECM driver.

Wiring & Ground Locations

• Ignition Coil Harness Ground — The main engine wiring harness has ground points that bolt directly to the cylinder heads. One is on the front head (Bank 2) and another is on the rear head (Bank 1), often near the intake manifold.. A loose or corroded harness ground on Bank 1 could potentially affect all three rear coils (1, 3, 5), causing intermittent issues or multiple codes. This is a critical check if wiring is suspected.
• Engine-to-Chassis Grounds — The 2GR-FE engine has two main ground straps from the engine to the chassis. One is on the front valve cover and one on the rear, both typically connecting to the frame near the strut towers.. While less likely to cause a single coil code, a poor engine-to-chassis ground can introduce electrical noise and cause a wide range of spurious sensor readings and ECU problems, including misfires.
• Cylinder 5 Ignition Coil Connector — 4-pin connector on top of the ignition coil for cylinder #5, located on the rear cylinder bank (Bank 1), middle position.. This is the primary point for electrical testing. Pin 1: +12V (Power), Pin 2: IGF (Confirmation), Pin 3: IGT (Trigger), Pin 4: GND (Ground).

OEM Part Supersession History

• 90919-02251 → 90919-A2002, 90919-A2004, 90919-A2007, and most recently 90919-A2013 — Standard part revisions for improved reliability, material changes, or manufacturing process updates.
  Heads up: All listed part numbers are considered fully interchangeable for this application.

Diagnostic Flowchart

Other Known Issues on This Vehicle

Issues unrelated to this code that are worth knowing about as an owner of this generation:

• VVT-i Oil Supply Hose Rupture 🔴 High — Common on 2006-2009 models not updated under a service campaign. The original rubber hose section degrades and can burst, causing rapid, catastrophic oil loss and engine seizure. (Ref: LSC 90K (Limited Service Campaign). Toyota replaced the original rubber/metal hose with an all-metal line.)
• Premature Water Pump Failure 🟠 Medium — Known to fail, often starting with a grinding noise or a small leak from the sweep hole, typically around 80k-120k miles. Failure can lead to overheating.
• Intermediate Steering Shaft Clunk 🟡 Low — Very common on 2006-2008 models. A clunking or popping noise is heard and felt through the steering wheel when turning at low speeds. (Ref: T-SB-0318-08. Toyota released an updated intermediate shaft to fix the noise.)
• Excessive Oil Consumption (2.4L 4-Cylinder Only) 🔴 High — While not affecting the V6, this is a major issue for the 4-cylinder 2AZ-FE engine in 2006-2008 RAV4s, caused by defective piston rings. It is a critical distinction for potential buyers. (Ref: Warranty Enhancement Program (ZE7))

Used vs. New Parts: Buying Guide for This Vehicle

When a used part is the smart pick: A used part is generally not recommended for the ignition coils themselves due to the high labor cost of the repair; a coil failure would mean repeating the entire job. However, a used wiring harness from a reputable salvage yard can be a cost-effective solution if the original harness is damaged by rodents or heat, as a new harness can be very expensive.

Donor-vehicle mileage cap: roughly under 80000 miles for the part to have meaningful remaining life.

What to inspect on the donor part:

• For a wiring harness, inspect for any signs of rodent chewing, brittle or cracked insulation, and corrosion on connector pins.
• Ensure the donor vehicle was not in a front-end or engine-fire related accident.
• Verify the part number on the donor part matches one of the compatible superseded numbers if possible.

OEM-only on this vehicle (don't cheap out):

• Ignition Coils: Due to the extreme labor involved in accessing the rear bank, using anything other than OEM (Denso) or top-tier NGK coils is a significant risk. Cheaper aftermarket coils have a high rate of premature failure, which would mean repeating a 3-4 hour job.

Aftermarket brands forum-validated for this vehicle:

• Denso (OEM supplier)
• NGK

Brands owners have reported issues with on this vehicle:

• Unbranded, low-cost coil sets from online marketplaces are frequently cited in forums as being dead-on-arrival or failing within a few months.

Real Owner Stories

Aggregated from forums and TSBs cited above. Mileages and costs reflect what owners reported in those sources.

Related OBD-II Codes

• P0305 — Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected; often triggers alongside P0355 when the ignition coil circuit failure prevents the cylinder from firing.
• P0351 — Ignition Coil A Primary/Secondary Circuit; relates to cylinder #1 on the same rear bank (Bank 1) and is often diagnosed using the same intake manifold removal procedure.
• P0352 — Ignition Coil B Primary/Secondary Circuit; used during diagnosis to confirm a faulty coil by swapping the suspect coil from cylinder #5 to cylinder #2.
• P0353 — Ignition Coil C Primary/Secondary Circuit; relates to cylinder #3, which is also located on the hard-to-access rear bank (Bank 1) alongside cylinder #5.
• P0354 — Ignition Coil D Primary/Secondary Circuit; relates to cylinder #4 on the front bank (Bank 2).
• P0356 — Ignition Coil F Primary/Secondary Circuit; relates to cylinder #6 on the front bank (Bank 2).

Frequently Asked Questions