P0300 on a 2016 Jeep Patriot
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 Patriot
Ranked from 455 NHTSA owner complaints filed for this vehicle.
- 1
Camshaft/crankshaft position sensor failure (recall S89/16V-907)
High severitySix complaints tie random stalling and, in one case, explicit misfire codes directly to a failing camshaft or crankshaft position sensor -- the subject of NHTSA recall S89, which some owners found their VIN excluded from despite showing the same symptoms.
Reported in 6 NHTSA complaints - 2
Worn spark plugs
Medium severityOne owner had spark plugs replaced after a stall/no-power event, a routine misfire fix.
Reported in 1 NHTSA complaintParts:spark plug - 3
Failing ignition coil(s)
Medium severityA weak or intermittently-arcing coil produces a repeatable single- or multi-cylinder misfire, especially under load.
Common causeParts:ignition coil - 4
Clogged or leaking fuel injector(s)
Medium severityAn injector delivering too little or too much fuel to one cylinder causes a repeated misfire on that cylinder.
Common causeParts:fuel injector - 5
Vacuum leak
Medium severityUnmetered air leaning out the mixture, particularly at idle, is a common random-misfire cause.
Common cause - 6
Carbon-fouled intake valves
Low severityDirect-injection-style carbon buildup on valves disrupts airflow/sealing into the cylinder enough to misfire.
Common cause - 7
Low cylinder compression (worn rings/valves)
High severityOnce a cylinder can't build enough compression it will misfire regardless of ignition or fuel condition.
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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