P0304

TORQDEX // POWERTRAIN DTC

Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected

Misfire activity has been detected repeatedly on cylinder 4.

CODE FAMILY Powertrain
SEVERITY HIGH
DRIVEABILITY DRIVEABILITY MAY BE LIMITED
COMMON AREA Cylinder 4 / Ignition / Fuel / Mechanical

00 // CODE DEFINITION

What P0304 means

P0304 identifies abnormal combustion events associated with cylinder 4.

Ignition components, fuel delivery, compression, wiring, or localized intake problems should be investigated.

01 // COMMON SYMPTOMS

What you may notice

Rough idle
Engine shaking
Hesitation
Reduced power
Flashing check-engine light

02 // COMMON CAUSES

What can trigger P0304?

IGNITION

Ignition problem

Plug, coil, wire, or connection faults may affect cylinder 4.

FUEL

Fuel delivery problem

The cylinder 4 injector may be restricted or electrically faulty.

MECHANICAL

Compression problem

Valve, piston, ring, gasket, or valvetrain faults may cause low compression.

03 // DRIVEABILITY

Can I keep driving with P0304?

SEVERITY HIGH
DRIVEABILITY MAY BE LIMITED

Driving may be possible if the misfire is mild, but avoid continued driving if the check-engine light is flashing, the engine is shaking heavily, or power is significantly reduced. An active misfire can damage the catalytic converter.

04 // DIAGNOSTIC ORDER

Start here

01

Confirm the misfire

Review scan-tool data to verify cylinder 4 activity.

02

Inspect ignition

Check the spark plug and coil or other ignition components.

03

Evaluate fuel delivery

Test injector operation and electrical control.

04

Verify compression

Compare cylinder 4 compression with the other cylinders.

05 // COMMON REPAIR AREAS

Systems commonly involved

These are common areas associated with P0304. Testing should confirm the actual fault before parts are replaced.

IGNITION

Ignition problem

Plug, coil, wire, or connection faults may affect cylinder 4.

FUEL

Fuel delivery problem

The cylinder 4 injector may be restricted or electrically faulty.

MECHANICAL

Compression problem

Valve, piston, ring, gasket, or valvetrain faults may cause low compression.

06 // DIAGNOSTIC PRINCIPLE

Confirm the fault before replacing parts

P0304 identifies a condition detected by the vehicle control system. It does not automatically identify one failed component. Test the affected system before replacing parts.

07 // RELATED TORQDEX DIAGNOSTICS

Related diagnostic guides

Continue troubleshooting by symptom and system. These TorqDex guides cover common diagnostic paths associated with this trouble code.