A P0301 through P0308 code on a Dodge means one specific cylinder is misfiring — the last digit is the cylinder number, so P0301 is cylinder 1, P0305 is cylinder 5, and so on. That digit is a gift: unlike the random-misfire code P0300, the PCM has already told you exactly where to look. On Dodges the usual suspects are a worn spark plug or failing ignition coil on that cylinder, with injectors, vacuum leaks, and — on the 5.7L HEMI — MDS lifter wear behind them. If the check engine light is flashing, stop driving: raw fuel from an active misfire destroys the catalytic converter in short order.
What Do P0301–P0308 Mean on a Dodge?
The PCM watches the crankshaft’s speed between every power stroke. When one cylinder fails to contribute its push, the crank momentarily slows, and the PCM counts a misfire against that cylinder. Enough misfires in a monitoring window and it stores a code from this family:
- P0301–P0304 — misfire on cylinder 1, 2, 3, or 4 (the whole range for four-cylinder Darts, Calibers, Avengers, and base Journeys)
- P0305–P0306 — cylinders 5 and 6 (V6 territory: 3.6L Pentastar Chargers, Challengers, Durangos, Journeys, Grand Caravans)
- P0307–P0308 — cylinders 7 and 8 (V8s: 5.7L HEMI and friends in Chargers, Challengers, RAMs, Durangos)
The sibling code P0300 means misfires spread across multiple cylinders with no single culprit — a different diagnosis path that points at shared causes like fuel, vacuum, or ignition-system-wide problems; our Dodge P0300 random misfire guide covers it in depth. A cylinder-specific code with a second code alongside (say P0301 + P0300) still starts at the named cylinder.
Which Cylinder Is That, Exactly?
The code names a cylinder number — here’s how Dodge numbers them on the engines you’ll meet most:
- 5.7L HEMI V8: odd cylinders 1-3-5-7 on the driver’s side (front to back), even cylinders 2-4-6-8 on the passenger side. So P0307 is the third cylinder back on the driver’s side. Remember the HEMI runs two spark plugs per cylinder — 16 plugs total.
- 3.6L Pentastar V6: odd cylinders 1-3-5 share one bank, even cylinders 2-4-6 the other. Which physical side is which depends on whether the engine sits longitudinally (Charger, Challenger, Durango) or transversely (Journey, Grand Caravan) — confirm the layout for your model year before pulling coils.
- 2.4L and other inline-fours: cylinder 1 is at the accessory-belt end, numbered 1-2-3-4 straight across.
Dodge Cylinder Misfire Symptoms
- Rough idle — the classic shake at a stoplight, often smoothing out at speed
- Loss of power and hesitation, especially under load or uphill
- Flashing check engine light during active misfires — the PCM’s signal that the converter is being damaged right now
- Fuel smell from the exhaust, worse fuel economy
- Engine vibration you can feel in the wheel or seat
- On HEMIs: a ticking noise alongside the misfire can point at a failing MDS/roller lifter — take that combination seriously
Common Causes of P0301–P0308 on a Dodge
In rough order of how often they turn out to be the culprit:
- A worn or fouled spark plug — the single most common cause. Plugs on many Dodge engines are overdue long before owners think about them, and the HEMI’s 16-plug setup doubles the chances one is bad.
- A failing ignition coil — Dodge’s coil-on-plug (and HEMI coil-over-two-plugs) units fail individually, taking exactly one cylinder with them. This is why the coil-swap test (below) is so effective.
- A clogged or dead fuel injector — the misfiring cylinder starves while the rest run fine.
- MDS / roller lifter failure (5.7L HEMI) — the famous “HEMI tick” that progresses to a dead cylinder when a lifter roller or cam lobe wears. A persistent single-cylinder misfire on a HEMI that ignores new plugs and coils deserves this suspicion.
- A vacuum leak at one intake runner — a torn manifold gasket or cracked port hose leans out just that cylinder.
- Low compression — burnt valve, worn rings, or head-gasket trouble on that cylinder; the misfire follows the hardware, not the ignition parts.
- Wiring or connector damage — a chafed coil or injector harness pin makes a “bad part” that tests fine on the bench.
Cause → Symptom → Fix at a Glance
| Cause | Typical symptom | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Worn/fouled spark plug | High mileage, gradual roughness; plug visibly worn or oily | Replace plugs — as a set, not just one |
| Failing ignition coil | Misfire follows the coil in a swap test; often worse in rain | Replace that coil (many owners do the set on high miles) |
| Clogged/dead injector | Misfire stays on the cylinder after coil/plug swap; injector silent | Clean professionally or replace the injector |
| MDS/lifter failure (HEMI) | Tick + persistent misfire that ignores plugs/coils | Lifter/cam repair — confirm with a mechanical inspection |
| Vacuum leak at one runner | Lean codes alongside; hissing; idle roughness improves with RPM | Replace the gasket or hose |
| Low compression | Misfire survives all ignition/fuel swaps; compression test confirms | Valve/ring/head-gasket repair per the findings |
| Wiring/connector damage | Intermittent misfire, often heat- or vibration-dependent | Repair the harness or connector |
How to Diagnose a Cylinder Misfire on a Dodge Step by Step
The named cylinder turns this into a process of elimination — cheap tests first:
- Confirm which cylinder and check for company. Read all codes: lean codes (P0171/P0174) point toward vacuum or fuel-supply causes; multiple cylinder codes or P0300 changes the game to shared causes.
- Pull that cylinder’s spark plug and read it. Worn electrodes, oil fouling, carbon, or a cracked insulator each tell their own story. On a HEMI, check both plugs for the cylinder. If the plugs are old, replace the full set — partial replacements chase ghosts.
- Run the coil-swap test. Move the suspect cylinder’s coil to a neighboring cylinder and clear the codes. If the misfire follows the coil (e.g., P0303 becomes P0305), the coil is condemned — total cost of diagnosis: ten minutes. If it stays, the coil is innocent.
- Swap or listen to the injector. The same swap logic works for injectors where access allows; otherwise listen with a mechanic’s stethoscope for the steady click of a firing injector, and check its connector.
- Check for a vacuum leak at that cylinder’s runner — carb-cleaner spray around the intake port with the engine idling, or a proper smoke test.
- Compression-test the cylinder if everything above passes. Low compression against its neighbors means mechanical work — and on a ticking HEMI, have the lifters inspected before the misfire becomes valve damage.
- Fix it before it spreads. A misfiring cylinder dumps raw fuel into the exhaust, which overheats the catalytic converter — that’s how a $25 spark plug becomes a four-figure P0420/P0430 catalyst repair.
Dodge P0301–P0308 Repair Cost
Typical US shop prices (parts + labor) by root cause:
DIY note: the coil-swap test and a plug change are entry-level driveway jobs on most Dodge engines, and they resolve the majority of single-cylinder misfires for under $100 in parts — just buy OEM-quality (Mopar/NGK/Champion) plugs gapped to spec.
Is It Safe to Drive a Dodge with a Cylinder Misfire?
An occasional misfire with a steady light isn’t an emergency. Keep speeds moderate, avoid hard acceleration and towing, and get the diagnosis done within days — this is the cheapest stage of the problem.
A flashing check engine light means active, converter-damaging misfires. Unburned fuel is igniting inside the exhaust, overheating the catalyst with every mile. Pull over, and have the car towed or driven the shortest possible distance. Ignoring a flashing light reliably turns an ignition repair into an engine-and-catalyst repair.
How to Reset P0301–P0308 After the Repair
- Clear the codes with an OBD2 scanner after the repair, then idle and test-drive while watching for the misfire counter to stay at zero (a scanner with live misfire data shows this per cylinder).
- Re-check after a few drives. The misfire monitor runs continuously, so a surviving problem re-flags quickly — if the same cylinder returns, move to the next step in the diagnosis ladder rather than repeating the last fix.
- Mind the converter afterward. If the misfire ran for weeks before the fix, keep an eye out for catalyst codes in the following weeks.
The full clearing procedure is in our Dodge check engine light reset guide.
FAQ: Dodge P0301–P0308 Codes
How do I know which cylinder my Dodge misfire code points to?
The last digit of the code is the cylinder number: P0301 is cylinder 1, P0306 is cylinder 6. On the 5.7L HEMI, odd cylinders 1-3-5-7 run front-to-back on the driver’s side and even cylinders 2-4-6-8 on the passenger side. On the 3.6L Pentastar, cylinders 1-3-5 share one bank and 2-4-6 the other, with the physical side depending on whether the engine is mounted longitudinally or transversely. Four-cylinder engines number 1-2-3-4 from the accessory-belt end.
What is the fastest way to find the cause of a P030X code?
The coil-swap test. Move the suspect cylinder’s ignition coil to a neighboring cylinder, clear the codes, and drive. If the misfire code follows the coil to its new cylinder, the coil is bad; if the code stays on the original cylinder, test the spark plug, injector, and compression next. It takes about ten minutes on most Dodge engines and costs nothing.
What is the difference between P0300 and P0301 on a Dodge?
P0300 means random or multiple-cylinder misfires with no single cylinder dominating, which points at shared causes like fuel delivery, vacuum leaks, or system-wide ignition problems. P0301 (through P0308) names one specific cylinder, which points at that cylinder’s own plug, coil, injector, or mechanical condition. The two can appear together; in that case, start the diagnosis at the named cylinder.
Is it safe to drive my Dodge with a cylinder misfire code?
With a steady light and mild symptoms, short gentle driving is acceptable while you arrange the repair within days. With a flashing check engine light, no — active misfires send raw fuel into the exhaust and overheat the catalytic converter within miles, turning a cheap ignition fix into a catalyst replacement. Avoid towing and hard acceleration with any misfire present.
Why does my 5.7 HEMI have a misfire that new plugs and coils didn’t fix?
A persistent single-cylinder misfire on a 5.7L HEMI that survives new spark plugs and a known-good coil — especially with a ticking noise — is the classic presentation of MDS or roller-lifter failure. A worn lifter stops opening its valve fully and the cylinder loses compression-stroke breathing. Have a shop verify with a mechanical inspection or relative-compression test before spending more on ignition parts; caught early, the repair is lifters and a cam rather than valves and heads.
Misfire codes rarely travel alone — the P0300 random misfire guide covers multi-cylinder cases, and Charger owners chasing P0301/P0302 specifically can start with our Dodge Charger P0301 & P0302 guide.