A misfire usually needs a check soon; if the check-engine light is flashing, stop when safe and switch off the engine.
Trouble codes · P0302
P0302 meaning
Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected
The same first verdict Car Assist shows from this code alone, before a diagnosis. The code does not tell the app whether the warning light is flashing.
What this code doesn’t tell you
A code says where the car noticed a problem. It does not prove which part failed, whether the fault is still present, or what repair this car needs. The engine, other codes, freeze frame and live readings matter.
Usual causes, most likely first
The order is a starting point across cars; the exact engine and its readings can change it.
- Worn spark plug or ignition coil at cylinder 2 on petrol engines
- Injector or connector fault at that cylinder
- Low compression or a local intake leak
What you can check
Note when the engine shakes and any recent plug or coil work. Cylinder 2 is numbered by the manufacturer, so confirm the layout for this engine before a repair. Usually a flashing check-engine light needs a stop when safe and the engine switched off; have the misfire checked.
Words the car uses
- Stored codes
- Faults the car has confirmed and saved. They help explain a check-engine light, but a code alone does not prove which part needs replacing.
- Freeze frame
- A snapshot of the engine's readings when a fault was recorded. It helps show the conditions that caused the fault, even if the car now seems fine.
- Readiness monitors
- The car's own checks of its emissions systems. An unfinished check means the car has not tested that system yet, so a clean code scan may miss a fault.
- Misfire
- A cylinder has failed to burn its fuel properly. It can cause shaking and loss of power; a flashing check-engine light usually means stop when safe and switch off the engine.
- Check-engine light (MIL)
- The engine warning light on the dashboard; MIL is its diagnostic name. A flashing light usually risks damage to the catalytic converter, so stop when safe and switch off the engine.
Find out what’s causing yours
Car Assist reads your car through an OBD-II adapter and your iPhone. Its assistant uses the codes, freeze frame and live readings to work through the likely cause with you.