Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected
The P0305 code means the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system has detected: Cylinder 5 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
- Vibration
- Check Engine Light
- Loss of power
Probable Causes (Ranked by Likelihood)
- Faulty spark plug on cylinder 5 Very High
- Failed ignition coil on cylinder 5 High
- Clogged fuel injector on cylinder 5 High
- Low compression on cylinder 5 Moderate
Step-by-Step Diagnostic Procedure
-
Swap cylinder 5 coil and plug with a known-good cylinder. Monitor which cylinder the misfire follows.
-
Perform injector balance test on cylinder 5.
-
Compression test if ignition and fuel components test good.
Common Fixes by Vehicle
What techs usually find when diagnosing P0305 on specific vehicles — tap your vehicle for the fix and the exact part:
2009-2020 Ford F-150/Expedition 5.0L Coyote Easy DIY
Cylinder 5 misfire on the Coyote V8. Perform a coil swap test with Motorcraft DG-542. Cylinder 5 is on the passenger side. If coil and plug are good, check for a cracked spark plug -- the Coyote is known for plugs breaking during removal. Use anti-seize on installation. Also check the fuel injector and do a compression test if needed.
Labor: 20-30 min2009-2019 Dodge Ram/Chrysler 300 5.7L Hemi Easy (coil), Advanced (lifters) DIY
Cylinder 5 misfire on the Hemi. Swap the coil to another cylinder to test. The Hemi uses coil-on-plug ignition (Mopar 56028394AH). If the coil is good, check for a collapsed MDS lifter -- cylinder 5 is an MDS cylinder on the Hemi. Listen for a loud ticking noise. If lifter is collapsed, all 16 lifters should be replaced.
Labor: 20 min (coil), 6-8 hours (lifters)2002-2015 Nissan Altima/Maxima 3.5L VQ35DE Easy DIY
Cylinder 5 on the VQ35DE is on the front bank. Swap the ignition coil (Hitachi IGC0007) to another cylinder to diagnose. If the coil is good, check the valve clearance and fuel injector. VQ35DE engines can develop worn valve guides at higher mileage causing oil burning in individual cylinders. Check for blue smoke from the exhaust.
Labor: 30 min2010-2020 Chevrolet Silverado/Tahoe 5.3L Easy DIY
Cylinder 5 is NOT an AFM cylinder on the 5.3L. Perform a coil swap test (ACDelco D513A) and check the spark plug. If those are good, check the fuel injector balance rate. Cylinder 5 is on the driver side -- check for exhaust manifold leaks near this cylinder that could affect the O2 sensor reading and fuel mixture.
Labor: 20-30 minFrequently Asked Questions
The 5.4L Ford V8 has a lot of coil failures: is P0305 likely a coil?
Yes. The Ford 4.6L and 5.4L Triton V8 engines are notorious for coil-on-plug failures, especially the original design. Aftermarket coils with an updated design are available and are the most common fix.
Sources
This page is built from documented references. Verify against your own service info before repair work.
P0305 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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