P0300 on a 2020 Ford Escape

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 2020 Ford Escape

Ranked from 1,487 NHTSA owner complaints filed for this vehicle.

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1
Cracked fuel injector leaking near the engine
High severity
This vehicle is subject to NHTSA recall 25V467/Ford 25S76 for fuel injectors that can crack and leak fuel onto the engine, causing rough running/misfire; multiple owners on this exact vehicle report the recall and rough-running symptoms.
Reported in 8 NHTSA complaints
Parts:fuel injector
2
Low cylinder compression from internal engine damage
High severity
Owners reported coolant intrusion/cracked cylinder head and a separate blown head gasket with coolant leakage into the engine, both of which cause misfire from lost compression.
Reported in 2 NHTSA complaints
3
Failing ignition coil(s)
Medium severity
Common misfire source on this 1.5L turbo engine family.
Common cause
Parts:ignition coil
4
Worn spark plugs
Low severity
Basic wear item and a routine misfire cause.
Common cause
Parts:spark plug
5
Vacuum leak
Medium severity
Unmetered air causes lean misfire, especially at idle.
Common cause
6
Carbon-fouled intake valves
Low severity
Direct-injection engines accumulate carbon that disrupts combustion.
Common cause
7
EGR valve/passage fault
Low severity
A stuck or leaking EGR valve can cause rough idle and random misfire.
Common cause
Parts: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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Matching symptoms

Car Runs Rough Flashing Check Engine Light