Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected
What it means
This code means the engine computer has seen cylinder 2 fail to fire properly more often than allowed. The cause is usually a part serving that cylinder alone, such as its spark plug, ignition coil or injector, and its location must be taken from the manufacturer's cylinder numbering, which differs between engines.
Related lights
Dashboard lights that may come on with this code.
Symptoms4
- Engine shudder while stopped at a light.
- Hesitation or stumbling when pressing the accelerator.
- Check engine light on or flashing.
- Increased fuel consumption.
Possible causes6
- Worn or fouled spark plug in cylinder 2.
- Weak ignition coil for cylinder 2, or a coil shared by cylinders 2 and 3 on some four-cylinder engines.
- Clogged or leaking cylinder 2 injector.
- Oil or water in the spark plug well causing the spark to track to ground.
- Damaged coil or injector wiring or connector.
- Low compression, possibly together with the neighboring cylinder if the head gasket failed between them.
How to diagnose5
- Locate cylinder 2 using the manufacturer's numbering, especially on engines with two banks.
- Check the misfire counters; if cylinders 2 and 3 both misfire, check a shared coil or the head gasket between them.
- Inspect the plug and its well for wear, oil or water.
- Swap the coil, then the plug, with another cylinder and see whether the misfire moves.
- Check the injector and its connector, then have a compression test done if nothing else is found.
How to fix6
- Replace the spark plug, and renew all plugs if they are due.
- Replace the ignition coil the misfire followed.
- Fix oil entering the plug well, replacing the valve cover gasket if needed.
- Clean or replace the injector and repair damaged wiring.
- Repair low compression if it is confirmed.
- Clear the codes, drive the car and confirm the code does not return.
Repair cost
In Saudi riyals; the highlighted part is the expected range for this fault.
In the Saudi market: SAR 150–1,500 (≈ USD 40–400)
Our prices come from the Saudi market, converted at a fixed rate (SAR 3.75 per USD). Prices in your country may differ a lot, so we show the cost level.
Most cases end with a plug or coil at low cost; the cost rises with an injector or an oil leak repair, and more if the engine has an internal compression problem.
Prices are rough estimates for common cars at independent workshops and vary with the car and the source of the part.
Prices last updated: September 2026
Frequently asked questions
Where is cylinder 2 on my engine?
On inline engines it is usually next to cylinder 1. On engines with two banks the numbering differs between makers, so check the service manual before removing anything.
P0302 and P0303 appeared together. What does that mean?
On some four-cylinder engines one coil fires both of these cylinders, so the coil is the first suspect. If they are neighbors, a head gasket failure between them is also possible and shows up in a compression test.
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