P2301: Cylinder 1 ignition control circuit shows a power-short signature

P2301 is an ignition-control number 1 circuit-high diagnosis in the reviewed GM table. The generic ignition-coil-A wording maps to cylinder 1 control for this monitor, without establishing cylinder position or connector location on a particular vehicle.

The powered-on driver check

The controller diagnoses its low-side output driver for a short to power when the output is powered on. It compares measured voltage with the driver-specific permitted range. The source's short-to-power design specification is less than 100 ohms between the signal and controller power.

That figure is not a service instruction to measure resistance on a live ignition circuit. More importantly, the command state changes the meaning of a high reading: voltage must be evaluated against what the output is attempting to do at that time.

Persistence and supply conditions

The engine must be running and ignition voltage must exceed 11 V. Fifty failing observations out of 63, at 100-millisecond intervals, establish the documented fault. A single disconnected or static measurement does not recreate that running evaluation.

Use cylinder 1 control data and the proper circuit procedure to determine whether the fault belongs to wiring, the connected load or the output stage. P2301 alone does not measure secondary spark quality or prove that the coil itself is defective.

Verification should show acceptable driver response during the relevant command state and a completed monitor without recurrence. The source lists Type A, one-trip behavior but no universal repair, component location or replacement part.

Source and applicability

Use these facts only after confirming the documented system and calibration for the vehicle. GM diagnostic table, PDF page 641.