P0300 on a 2016 Jeep Cherokee

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 2016 Jeep Cherokee

Ranked from 1,400 NHTSA owner complaints filed for this vehicle.

Sort by:

1
Clogged or dirty fuel injector causing a lean cylinder misfire
Medium severity
Owner had a cylinder #5 misfire diagnosed by the dealer, resolved by cleaning the injectors and replacing plugs/filters.
Reported in 1 NHTSA complaint
Parts:fuel injector spark plugs
2
Head gasket failure / coolant intrusion on the 2.4L Tigershark engine
High severity
Owner found coolant bubbling and oil contamination in cylinder #1 with a failed head gasket, which drops compression enough to misfire on that cylinder.
Reported in 1 NHTSA complaint
Parts:head gasket
3
Camshaft or valvetrain damage
High severity
One owner's intake camshaft broke and damaged the cylinder head, producing a persistent "missing fire"/vibration condition.
Reported in 1 NHTSA complaint
Parts:camshaft cylinder head
4
Worn or fouled spark plugs
Low severity
Most common root cause of random/multiple misfire; look for wear, fouling, or incorrect gap on removal.
Common cause
Parts:spark plugs
5
Failing ignition coil(s)
Medium severity
A weak or dead coil drops spark to one cylinder; swap coils cylinder-to-cylinder to confirm the misfire follows the coil.
Common cause
Parts:ignition coil
6
Vacuum or intake air leak
Medium severity
Unmetered air leans out one or more cylinders enough to misfire, especially at idle; check hoses and intake gaskets with a smoke test.
Common cause
7
Carbon-fouled intake valves
Low severity
Direct-injection 2.4L Tigershark engines are prone to carbon buildup on the intake valves, disrupting airflow/fuel mixture enough to cause a misfire.
Common cause
8
EGR valve malfunction
Low severity
A stuck-open EGR valve dilutes the air/fuel charge at idle and low load, which can trigger a random misfire code.
Common cause
Parts:EGR valve

Part links go to Amazon search results for this vehicle. As an Amazon Associate, WrenchConnect earns from qualifying purchases — always confirm fitment for your exact trim and engine before ordering.

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.

Rather have a pro handle it? Find a vetted local mechanic.

Matching symptoms

Car Runs Rough Flashing Check Engine Light