LCR "coughs" and engine diagnostics light flashing

[kimme]

Hello my Seat friends!

I took out my Leon Cupra R (2005 model, mileage just over 70000 km) from winter storage a week ago. (Living in Sweden and the winters here is very hard on the cars)
So running an Ibiza 1.4 Sport in the winter to spare the Cupra.

Drove a little longer trip yesterday with much highway and was driving about 140 km/h throughout the trip (round trip 280 km)
The car was super but 2 km from home when I accelerated in 3rd gear at around 4-5000 rpm the car "coughed" 2 times and lost traction.
Tested again and the same thing happend again plus the engine diagnostics light started flashing (No. 13 in the user manual)
The light stopped flashing pretty soon after the rpm decreased, I drove the last km home gently and the car was ok but did not sound 100% at idle.

Tried to drive it today, the car starts ok and rpm is still around 1000 rpm at idle (it was a cold morning so slightly higher rpm than normal due to the choke) but you can hear how the car coughs a little and exhaust seems to come in "puffs" and it smells unburned gasoline.
Just drove about 100 meters before I turned back and shut the engine off, no engine diagnostics light started flashing today.

Could it be a broken ignition coil or a bad spark plug?

All ideas are welcome!

Thanks in advance!

Best regards

Kim
Sweden

 

[Gaz7]

100% coil pack.

 

[747_727]

My LCR delveloped a bad nisfire last week and was running on at least 3 cylinders and smelt very strong of petrol. Fault codes said misfire on cylinders 2&4 so I replaced all 4 coil packs and plugs as they were due for replacement and now my car is back to normal again.

 

[Bigjohn84]

The coil packs in our cars always go When it's really cold, I keep a full spare set in my car just incase, I've not had to change them since last time so for now there all good, but yeh like GAZ said 100% coil pack has gonna, what to do it start the car and take one out at a time u will hear the difference in the car so you will no what one it gone

 

[kimme]

Thanks for your answers!

My brother came by yesterday and read the car faultcodes.
P0300 - Powertrain - Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
P0304 - Powertrain - Cylinder 4 Misfire
P0303 - Powertrain - Cylinder 3 Misfire

I'll pick up four new coil packs at the local Audi dealer tomorrow.
the spark plugs was changed at last service (8000 km ago), is it recommended to change them now anyway?

 

[747_727]

They see the same fault codes I had on my LCR. I wouldn't change the plugs after only about 4000 miles as they should be ok for 40000 or 50000 miles.

 

[andycupra]

assuming you have platinum tips plugs leave then be. (although up to you if you want to take the opportunity to visually inspect them. Although personally id say leave them in place as it will almost certainly be the coils.

The only thing that i find strange is your comment about losing traction, - as is power wheel spin? or handling traction due to sudden power loss?

also, before replacing coils take a moment to visually inspect these to check they are in place correctly and not risen off the coil or anything silly like that due to the temperatures.
be careful when replacing, the coil wiring loom can be damaged, when removing the coils id recommend using two small flat head screw drivers to initially raise the coil (so try to keep it vertical and avoid imparting a bend to the coil and unplug the wiring as soon as sensible. rather than yanking by hand as if the coil suddenly loosens you could cause damage if still plugged in.
when refitting i tend to put the coils 85% down into the plugs before connecting the wiring then the final push fit.


PS, still running 16 year old coils on my original (2000) cupra which are the original bolt down types.. new ones equilvalent. balls!

 

[kimme]

Excuse me, I wrote a little unclear. I mean the sudden loss of engine power.

The guy at Audi did not believe I would need to replace the spark plugs. same as all of you

Is it a big risk to break something else if I drive the car gently 5 km to my father's job?
For example. the catalyst with all unburned petrol?

Now the cars is home, but it is freezing cold outside.

 

[kimme]

I replaced all 4 coil packs yesterday and now the car works great