P0300 on a 2018 Nissan Rogue
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 2018 Nissan Rogue
Ranked from 609 NHTSA owner complaints filed for this vehicle.
- 1
Excess oil consumption fouling spark plugs/cylinders
Medium severityOwners report the engine burning oil and leaking at modest mileage, a known QR25DE wear pattern; oil-fouled plugs and rings cause a random misfire and, left unchecked, can progress to a seized/failed engine as one owner experienced.
Reported in 2 NHTSA complaints - 2
Cracked engine block / coolant intrusion into a cylinder
High severityOne owner's cracked block (tied to Nissan recall NTB20-25A) caused overheating; coolant or combustion-gas leakage into a cylinder from a compromised block will misfire that cylinder.
Reported in 1 NHTSA complaint - 3
Worn spark plugs
Low severityPlugs past their service interval develop a wide gap or foul, weakening spark and causing an intermittent misfire.
Common causeParts:spark plugs - 4
Failing ignition coil(s)
Medium severityA cracked or heat-degraded coil pack loses spark energy on that cylinder, typically worse under load or when hot.
Common causeParts:ignition coil - 5
Clogged or leaking fuel injector
Medium severityUnder- or over-fueling on one cylinder from a dirty or dribbling injector produces a repeatable misfire.
Common causeParts:fuel injector - 6
Vacuum/intake leak
Low severityUnmetered air entering downstream of the throttle leans out the mixture enough to misfire, especially at idle.
Common cause - 7
Carbon-fouled intake valves
Low severityDirect/port injection carbon buildup on valves disrupts airflow and atomization into the cylinder.
Common cause - 8
Low compression from worn piston rings or valves
High severityReduced cylinder sealing prevents a clean burn, showing up as a random or single-cylinder misfire.
Common cause - 9
EGR valve fault
Low severityA stuck-open EGR valve over-dilutes the intake charge and can misfire cylinders at idle/low load.
Common causeParts:EGR valve
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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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