ignition coil replacement

lunalass

I'm wondering if i have any recourse to the dealer on recent repairs.

I have 126,500miles on this Impreza Outback Sport. 5,000 miles ago on dealer's recommendation , I replaced head gasket, plugs and wires, when doing the timing belt. Now, check engine light came on and code indicated replacement of cylinder 3 wire. Compression test is good. They recommended replacement of ignition coil and plugs and wires which I have not done. Mileage is dropping dramatically now after a few days of driving (to 18 from 25).

Am I risking more damage by not replacing coil?
Should the dealer have seen this problem when replacing head gasket or during multi point inspection at 121,574 miles?
Should I have to pay for plugs and wires again?

Bit out of my depth here. Thanks for any insights.

Mr_Shiftright

You should ask for the specific problem to be corrected--if #3 cylinder is misfiring, then that particular cylinder should be addressed. The coil can be inspected at this time but unless a crack or corrosion is present, you may find that a new wire corrects the issue.

One way to tell is to switch wires with another plug and then clear the code. If the CEL comes back on and shows a different cylinder misfire, you know it's the wire you switched.