P0301Critical Priority

Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected

Category: PowertrainIgnition System / Misfire

50 articles · 8 makes affected

What is P0301?

P0301 is a critical powertrain code indicating the engine's computer has detected a misfire specifically in cylinder 1. This means fuel is not burning properly in that cylinder, which can cause severe engine damage if driven for long. Based on real owner data, this code is most frequently reported in vehicles like the Honda Accord, Ford Mustang, and Chevrolet Spark, and the average repair cost is $2763.

Common Causes

  • Ignition system failure (spark plugs or coils) is the most common cause, based on typical misfire diagnostics.
  • Fuel delivery issues (clogged injector or low fuel pressure) to cylinder 1 are a frequent culprit.
  • Mechanical engine problems (like low compression from a worn valve or piston) can trigger this code, especially in high-mileage vehicles like the 2010 Honda Accord with 190k miles mentioned in reports.

Symptoms You May Notice

  • A noticeable shaking or vibration from the engine, especially at idle or under acceleration, is the most commonly reported symptom.
  • The check engine light will flash or stay illuminated, often accompanied by a loss of engine power.
  • Owners may report rough idling, hesitation during acceleration, or increased fuel consumption.

How to Fix It

  • Replacing spark plugs and ignition coils on cylinder 1 ($150-$500, moderate difficulty).
  • Cleaning or replacing the fuel injector for cylinder 1 ($300-$800, moderate difficulty).
  • Performing a compression test and addressing internal engine mechanical failures, which can be very costly ($1000-$4300, high difficulty).

Root Causesfor P0301

Based on 14 owner reports

Confirmed Causes

  • 1
    cylinder 1 misfire(7% of cases)
  • 2
    many threads about(7% of cases)
  • 3
    not a coil pack(7% of cases)
  • 4
    significantly warmer down there than where i live: \~70f vs \~30f(7% of cases)

Common Misdiagnoses

What owners initially thought vs. what actually fixed the problem

  • sure if this is the correct thinking or not,i decided to rule it out officially(1 reports)

What Didn't Help

Repairs that owners tried but didn't fix the issue

bad, you need to replace the o-rings on the top and bottomfix the problemgo awayignition coil packlike a logical place to start. unfortunately plugs and wiressure if this is the correct thinking or not

Things to Check

Suggested areas to investigate based on similar cases

engine linefor leaks on all the injectors

DIY Diagnostic Guide

DIY Diagnostic Checklist

Based on 14 owner reports

Progress0%
Step 1check: engine line
Step 2check: for leaks on all the injectors
Step 3test: fuel injector

Owner Statistics

Based on 604,615 real owner discussions • 17438 confirmed solutions

Dataset (604,615 records)
$1,799
Average Repair Cost
3%
Success Rate
20%
DIY Repairs
604,615
Data Sources

About This Data

Statistics are aggregated from real owner discussions on Reddit, automotive forums, and YouTube comments. All data is anonymized and represents actual repair experiences reported by vehicle owners.

Frequently Appears With

These codes often appear together in owner reports. Check these if you see P0301.

Based on analysis of 75 owner reports where multiple codes appeared together.

Issues by Vehicle

HONDA

FORD