P0300 on a 2010 Chevrolet Traverse

P0300 is a generic OBD2 powertrain code for random or multiple cylinder misfire. Unlike P0301 through P0308, it does not point to one specific cylinder, so the cause can be ignition, fuel, air, sensor, or mechanical.

Not your vehicle? See general P0300 info.

Most common causes on the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse

Ranked from 668 NHTSA owner complaints filed for this vehicle.

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1
Timing chain stretch/wear altering valve timing
High severity
An extremely large number of owners of this exact model/year report a stretched or failed timing chain (often stored as P0008/P0016/P0017/P0019) causing rattling, sudden power loss, rough running, and stalling; worn chains alter cam timing enough to produce misfire-like symptoms and can co-occur with true misfire counts.
Reported in 15 NHTSA complaints
Parts:timing chain timing chain tensioner timing chain guides
2
Ignition coil failure
Medium severity
One owner had a mechanic confirm a misfire on two specific cylinders that recurred after a first repair attempt, consistent with a failing coil-on-plug unit.
Reported in 1 NHTSA complaint
Parts:ignition coil
3
Worn spark plugs
Medium severity
Standard high-mileage wear item; worn or fouled plugs are one of the most common causes of a random/multiple-cylinder misfire code.
Common cause
Parts:spark plugs
4
Vacuum leak (intake gaskets, PCV hoses)
Medium severity
Unmetered air entering after the MAF sensor causes lean misfire, typically worse at idle.
Common cause
5
Clogged or leaking fuel injectors
Medium severity
An injector delivering too little (clog) or too much (leak) fuel to a cylinder produces a repeatable misfire on that cylinder.
Common cause
Parts:fuel injector
6
Carbon-fouled intake valves
Low severity
Direct-injection engines like this 3.6L V6 are prone to carbon buildup on the backs of the intake valves, disrupting airflow and combustion on affected cylinders.
Common cause
7
Low cylinder compression from worn rings/valves
Low severity
Reduced compression on one or more cylinders (often accelerating alongside the documented timing chain wear) prevents proper combustion and sets a misfire code.
Common cause

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These causes are aggregated from NHTSA owner complaints and general repair knowledge — this is not a diagnosis. P0300 on your car still needs shop confirmation before any repair.

Common symptoms

Flashing or steady check engine light
Rough idle
Shaking under acceleration
Loss of power
Fuel smell from exhaust

What to check before replacing parts

Scan for cylinder-specific misfire codes

Look for: A companion P0301–P0308 pins the misfire to one cylinder — start there. P0300 with no cylinder code points at something hitting several at once: fuel pressure, a large vacuum leak, or timing.

Inspect the spark plugs and coils

Look for: Pull the plugs: black/sooty = rich, oily = oil intrusion, white/blistered = lean or overheating, cracked porcelain or an out-of-spec gap = replace. Then swap a coil to another cylinder — if a cylinder-specific code follows the coil, the coil is bad.

Check fuel trims for a vacuum leak

Look for: High positive short- and long-term trims (worst at idle, improving as RPM rises) mean unmetered air is getting in. Smoke-test the intake and listen for hissing.

Verify fuel pressure

Look for: Compare running/cranking pressure to the vehicle spec. Low or dropping pressure starves multiple cylinders and reads as a random misfire — suspect the pump, filter, or regulator.

Compression / leak-down test if ignition and fuel check out

Look for: A cylinder 15%+ below the others, or leak-down hissing from the intake (intake valve), exhaust (exhaust valve), or oil filler (rings), means the misfire is mechanical — not a swap-in part.

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Matching symptoms

Car Runs Rough Flashing Check Engine Light