AutoCodes – Cadillac – P0301 Cadillac

P0301 Cadillac Code - Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected

Quick Answer

A misfiring cylinder causes slight variations in the rotational speed of the crankshaft. Common causes include Faulty Spark Plug #1, Clogged or faulty Fuel Injector #1, Faulty Ignition Coil #1. Severity is High - diagnose this code as soon as possible. Driving is not recommended if the warning light is flashing, the engine runs poorly, or safety-related symptoms are present.

What it means
P0301 Cadillac indicates Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected.
Common causes
Common causes include Faulty Spark Plug #1, Clogged or faulty Fuel Injector #1, Faulty Ignition Coil #1.
Severity
High - diagnose this code as soon as possible.
Can I drive?
Driving is not recommended if the warning light is flashing, the engine runs poorly, or safety-related symptoms are present.
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Code Popularity 42,882
How popular is this code, among other codes? Medium
Table of contents Created and updated by William Orellana on Jul 21, 2022
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Code P0301 Cadillac Description

A misfiring cylinder causes slight variations in the rotational speed of the crankshaft. The Engine Control Module (ECM) can detect these variations by closely monitoring the crankshaft position sensor signal. The signals of the camshaft position sensors are used to determine which cylinder is misfiring. If the ECM detects a misfire rate sufficient to cause emission levels to exceed mandated standards, the Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) will be set. Under certain driving conditions, a misfire rate can be high enough to cause the catalytic converter to overheat, damaging the converter. The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) flashes when the converter is overheating, damaging conditions are present, and the DTC is set. The DTC will be set when the ECM detects a crankshaft rotation speed variation indicating a single-cylinder misfire rate sufficient to cause emissions levels to exceed mandated standards.
OBDII Code P0301 Cadillac - Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected - AutoCodes.com
P0301 Cadillac Code - Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected

What are the Possible Causes of the DTC P0301 Cadillac?

  • Faulty Spark Plug #1
  • Clogged or faulty Fuel Injector #1
  • Faulty Ignition Coil #1
  • Fuel Injector #1 harness is open or shorted
  • Fuel Injector #1 circuit poor electrical connection
  • Ignition Coil #1 harness is open or shorted
  • Ignition Coil #1 circuit poor electrical connection
  • Insufficient cylinder 1 compression
  • Incorrect fuel pressure
  • Intake air leak

How to Fix the DTC P0301 Cadillac?

Review the 'Possible Causes' above and visually examine the corresponding wiring harness and connectors. Check for damaged components and inspect connector pins for signs of being broken, bent, pushed out, or corroded.

Code Tech Notes

What is the Cost to Diagnose the Code?

Labor: 1.0

To diagnose the P0301 Cadillac code, it typically requires 1.0 hour of labor. Rates vary by location, vehicle, and shop. Many shops charge between $80–$150 per hour; dealerships and metro areas may be higher, independents may be lower.

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About the author: William Orellana is a Master Mechanic and Mechanical Engineer with over 30 years of experience diagnosing and repairing vehicles. Learn more about his background.

Frequently Asked Questions about P0301 Cadillac Code

No Frequently Asked Questions about P0301 Cadillac Code found.

Discuss the causes and fixes for P0301 Cadillac OBDII Code

  • My Cadillac CTS 2005 is misfiring. Changed spark plugs and coils. I'm still getting code p0301.

  • Is there excessive smoke, is the engine running rough? Have you overheated the engine lately?

  • I'm a few years late to the thread but I have the same problems on my 08 cts. No overheating but it has a ruff idle. & it started to squeak

  • Have you replaced any parts yet? The ignition coil and/or spark plugs are the most common problem for the P0301 code, but if you have already replaced those parts, then you may have a problem with the fuel injector.

  • Yeah, those were the first things I replaced. I bought a fuel injector too but didn't change it because I didn't want to keep throwing money into the car without knowing the cause first. So I had a mechanic see it and he said I had no compression in cylinder one. Based on that information he suggested a new engine. I don't know if that's a good fix so I'll look for a second opinion. Anyways, thanks for the help.

  • Had the same issue with P0305 and Mechanic told me new engine needed $4000. Two years later that issue was restored now I am dealing with p0301. Changed coil pack, sparkplugs, fuel injectors, fuel filter. What left I will have to do vacuum leak, fuel pressure before I go too far.

  • What model and year is your vehicle? your next step is to perform a cylinder compression test

  • Cadillac cts 05, v6. 3.5. It got 252000 still drives strong. She loves speed. If I delete the code it won't come up again as long as I didn't stop. If I delete the code and leave it on idle she doesn't like that and check engine would be flashing. I have raise rpm over 800 before it goes away. It idles between 500 and 600rpm rough and over 800 rpm smooth .

  • I was looking for answers on this P0301 code and started researching DIY info. I ran across a video on how to change plugs and coil packs on a 3.6L V6 Cadillac STS VVT motor (2007). Almost as an after thought the guy on the video mentioned how years ago he found out that having a low oil condition doesn't get enough oil to the timing chains and that it gave him this code. I thought why wouldn't you get a low oil or check oil level indication first before any trouble like this ? There is no good excuse for why I hadn't checked my oil in a while so I won't make one up but I added oil, ran this thing and it stopped acting just how it had with the P0301 code. All the misfiring, jerking, bad acceleration and fear my timing chain had gone bad was gone. Keeping my fingers crossed that my issue is resolved with simply adding oil while I keep an eye on it for a few days.

  • Thank you for sharing and I hope that fixes the problem.

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