Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected
The P0302 code means the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system has detected: Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected. This is a serious severity code.
- Keep driving?
- Yes, but fix soon
- DIY difficulty
- medium
- Estimated cost
- $8-$30 per spark plug; $30-$80 per coil
The #1 fix for misfire codes. 15-piece set with 14mm, 16mm, 18mm magnetic sockets, T-handle extension, and spark plug gapper.
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Read and clear misfire codes. Shows which cylinder is misfiring so you know exactly what to replace.
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Common Symptoms
- Rough idle
- Flashing or steady Check Engine Light
- Loss of power
- Fuel smell from exhaust
Probable Causes (Ranked by Likelihood)
- Faulty spark plug on cylinder 2 Very High
- Failed ignition coil on cylinder 2 High
- Clogged fuel injector on cylinder 2 High
- Low compression on cylinder 2 Moderate
Step-by-Step Diagnostic Procedure
-
Swap the cylinder 2 coil with an adjacent cylinder. If the misfire code changes cylinder numbers, replace the coil.
-
Inspect and replace the spark plug on cylinder 2.
-
Test fuel injector on cylinder 2 for correct resistance and spray pattern.
-
Perform a compression test if coil and spark plug swaps do not resolve the misfire.
Common Fixes by Vehicle
What techs usually find when diagnosing P0302 on specific vehicles — tap your vehicle for the fix and the exact part:
2009-2020 Ford F-150 5.0L Coyote easy DIY
Cylinder 2 misfire on the Coyote V8 is usually an ignition coil (Motorcraft DG-542). Swap coils to verify. If the misfire stays on cylinder 2, check the fuel injector. Ford TSB 19-2346 covers sticking injectors on 5.0L engines. Also check for a cracked spark plug -- Ford plugs are known to break during removal.
Labor: 30 min2007-2017 Toyota Camry 2.5L easy DIY
Perform a coil swap test -- move the coil from cylinder 2 to cylinder 4. If the misfire moves to cylinder 4, replace the coil (Denso 673-1309). If misfire stays on cylinder 2, do a compression test. Low compression indicates a burned valve or bad head gasket. Toyota 2AR-FE engines rarely have internal issues so coil/plug is most likely.
Labor: 20 min2014-2020 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 5.3L easy DIY
Cylinder 2 is NOT an AFM cylinder on the 5.3L, so this is less likely to be lifter-related. Check ignition coil (ACDelco D513A) and spark plug first. If those are good, suspect a fuel injector issue. GM TSB #17-NA-211 covers injector balance rate testing. Replace with ACDelco 217-3449 if out of spec.
Labor: 30 min2010-2019 Subaru Outback/Forester 2.5L easy DIY
Cylinder 2 on the boxer engine is the passenger-side rear cylinder. Ignition coil failure is common (Denso 673-7201). These coils crack from heat cycling. Also check for oil fouling -- Subaru FB25 engines can leak oil past the valve stem seals into the spark plug tube. Replace the plug tube seals while you are in there.
Labor: 30 minFrequently Asked Questions
Can a bad spark plug wire cause P0302?
Yes, on older vehicles with plug wires. Modern vehicles with coil-on-plug systems do not have wires. Test the wire resistance (should be under 10,000 ohms per foot) or swap it with another cylinder to test.
Sources
This page is built from documented references. Verify against your own service info before repair work.
P0302 on Diesel, EV & Equipment
The same code ID appears across other engines and platforms. The diagnostic flow varies by manufacturer — these are the platform-specific breakdowns:
See All Codes & Fixes for Your Vehicle
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