Top Makes and Models with DTC P0303

Code P0303—Cylinder3 Misfire Detected—is a DO NOT DRIVE condition due to unsafe vehicle operations and the risk of serious engine damage. The cars most likely to encounter this problem are Ford, Toyota, Chevrolet, Audi, and Nissan. Many other makes and models are vulnerable to code P0303.

David Goldberg
September 4, 2024

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Top 10 Most Affected Makes

Rank	Make	Low	Moderate	High
1	Ford	Edge, F-250, Focus, Taurus, Explorer, F-350, Fiesta	Escape, Expedition, Fusion, Mustang	F-150, Ranger
2	Toyota	4Runner, Avalon, Highlander, Tundra, Sequoia	Prius, RAV4, Sienna, Tacoma	Camry, Corolla
3	Chevrolet	Equinox, Impala, Malibu, Cobalt, Colorado, Cruze, Sonic, Tahoe, Avalanche, Suburban, Trailblazer	Traverse, Camaro	Silverado 1500
4	Audi	N/A	N/A	N/A
5	Nissan	Rogue, Sentra, Versa, Frontier, Murano, Pathfinder, Xterra, Titan	Maxima	Altima
6	Volkswagen	N/A	CC	Jetta, Passat, Tiguan
7	Subaru	Legacy	Forester, Impreza	Outback
8	Dodge	Charger, Durango, Ram 1500, Dakota	N/A	Grand Caravan
9	GMC	Sierra, Terrain, Envoy, Yukon	Acadia	N/A
10	Honda	N/A	Pilot	N/A

FIXD sensor data shows that P0303 affects a broad spectrum of makes and models—the issue isn’t limited to a particular manufacturer. Here are the vehicles with the highest occurrence levels of P0303 codes:

Below is an expanded look at how a P0303 code impacts numerous makes and models. This breakdown covers occurrence rates by model year (2000-2023) and separates the frequency into low, moderate, or high levels. The worst of the worst are the nine vehicles listed above.

What is the P0303 Code?

A mechanic using an OBD2 Scanner to diagnose a car — *This AI-generated image may not accurately represent all aspects of the intended subjects whether a person or object.*

Code P0303—Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected—indicates that a misfire in cylinder #3 has been detected. It’s a serious issue that requires not driving the car until the problem has been corrected. Ignoring this trouble can create a risky driving situation due to possible engine hesitation or stalling. In addition, a misfire can damage the piston, cylinder wall, or catalytic converter—all expensive components.

Read the complete article on P0303 Engine Code | Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected to discover the trouble areas to consider. This resource also offers tips on diagnosing the problem and what a DIYer can do to tackle a P0303 code independently (and when not to).

Top Models for P0303 Codes

Here’s a look at the makes and models most likely to have P0303 codes, according to FIXD sensor data. The absence of a model year ranking indicates no P0303 code was detected among the analyzed years, insufficient data, or the model wasn’t in production.

Acura

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Acura MDX	2001, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017	2002, 2003, 2005	2004, 2006

Audi

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Audi A4	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018	2006, 2008, 2009	2007

BMW

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
BMW 325i	2004, 2005	N/A	N/A
BMW X5	2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018	2006	2005

Buick

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Buick Enclave	2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020	N/A	2009
Buick LaCrosse	2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016	N/A	2011
Buick LeSabre	2005	2001, 2003	2002, 2004

Cadillac

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Cadillac Escalade	2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018	N/A	2008
Cadillac CTS	2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014	2003, 2005, 2008, 2009	2006, 2007
Cadillac DeVille	2001, 2002, 2004, 2005	N/A	2003
Cadillac SRX	2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016	2004	2005, 2006, 2008
Cadillac STS	2009, 2011	2005, 2007, 2008	2006

Chevrolet

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Chevrolet Avalanche	2005, 2010, 2011, 2013	2007, 2008, 2009, 2012	N/A
Chevrolet Camaro	2001, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018	2010	2011
Chevrolet Cobalt	2005, 2010	2006, 2007, 2009	2008
Chevrolet Colorado	2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019	2005	2006
Chevrolet Cruze	2017, 2018, 2019	2012, 2015	2011, 2013, 2014
Chevrolet Equinox	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021	2010, 2011	2013
Chevrolet Impala	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018	2005	2006, 2009
Chevrolet Malibu	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2017, 2018, 2019	2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2020	2013, 2016
Chevrolet Silverado 1500	2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021	2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017	2004
Chevrolet Sonic	2017	2012, 2014, 2015, 2016	2013
Chevrolet Suburban	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019	2018	2015
Chevrolet Tahoe	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021	N/A	2017
Chevrolet Trailblazer	2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2022	N/A	N/A
Chevrolet Traverse	2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022	2011	2009, 2010

Chrysler

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Chrysler Town & Country	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2016	2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2008, 2013	2014

Dodge

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Dodge Charger	2007, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021	2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Dodge Dakota	2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011	2003, 2005, 2006, 2008	2001, 2002
Dodge Durango	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022	2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018	2012, 2014
Dodge Grand Caravan	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017	2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012	2007
Dodge Ram 1500^	2003, 2004, 2006	2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009	2010

Ford

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Ford Edge	2008, 2009, 2014, 2019	2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018	2017
Ford Escape	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021	2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2018	2012, 2017
Ford Expedition	2002, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019	2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007	2003
Ford Explorer	2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2021	2004, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2016	2017
Ford F-150	2009, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022	2001, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014	2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Ford F-250	2004, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021	2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017	2005, 2008
Ford F-350	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021	2008, 2014, 2020	N/A
Ford Fiesta	2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018	2012, 2014, 2015	N/A
Ford Focus	2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014	2006, 2009, 2012
Ford Fusion	2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2020	2008, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2019	2013, 2015, 2016
Ford Mustang	2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021	2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2018	2015
Ford Ranger	2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015	2004, 2011	2002
Ford Taurus	2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018	2003, 2006	2005

GMC

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
GMC Acadia	2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017	2009, 2010	2011
GMC Envoy	2007, 2008, 2009	2003, 2004	2002, 2005, 2006
GMC Sierra	2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2022	2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017	2005, 2015
GMC Terrain	2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020	2011	2014
GMC Yukon	2001, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019	2005, 2006, 2008	2007

Honda

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Honda Pilot	2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022	2011	2009, 2010

Infiniti

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Infiniti G35	N/A	2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008	2006

Jeep

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Jeep Grand Cherokee	2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020	2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017	2004, 2011, 2014
Jeep Liberty	2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,	2012	2003
Jeep Wrangler	2006, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2016	2008, 2012, 2013, 2015

Kia

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Kia Rondo	2009, 2010, 2012	2007, 2008	N/A

Lexus

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Lexus IS 250	2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015	2009, 2014	2006, 2007, 2008
Lexus RX 300	2002	N/A	N/A

Lincoln Navigator

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Lincoln Navigator	2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2020	2004, 2005, 2006, 2017	2007

Mercury

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Mercury Mountaineer	2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009	N/A	2006

Nissan

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Nissan Altima	2002, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021	2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017	2004
Nissan Frontier	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020	2005, 2006	2015
Nissan Maxima	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017	N/A	2012
Nissan Murano	2003, 2004, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015	2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011	2007
Nissan Pathfinder	2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2020	2001, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2015	2006
Nissan Rogue	2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020	N/A	2013
Nissan Sentra	2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019	2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017	2006, 2009, 2011, 2012
Nissan Titan	2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2017	2012	2011
Nissan Versa	2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020	2009, 2011, 2015	2012, 2013
Nissan Xterra	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014	2008	2005, 2006, 2007

Pontiac

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Pontiac G6	2005, 2009	2006, 2008	2007
Pontiac Grand Prix	2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008	2004	2006

Ram

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Ram 1500^	2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022	2011, 2013, 2015, 2016	2012, 2014

Scion

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Scion tC	2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016	2006, 2008	2007

Subaru

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Subaru Forester	2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021	2002, 2007, 2008, 2012	2006, 2009, 2010, 2011
Subaru Impreza	2001, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2016	2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012	2008, 2010
Subaru Legacy	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015	2005, 2008, 2009	2010
Subaru Outback	2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023	2015	2013, 2014

Toyota

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Toyota 4Runner	2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021	N/A	2002
Toyota Avalon	2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018	2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2015	2006
Toyota Camry	2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021	2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009	2002, 2003, 2007
Toyota Corolla	2002, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022	2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2013	2003, 2009
Toyota Highlander	2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020	2001, 2002, 2003, 2005	2017
Toyota Prius	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2016	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013	2010
Toyota RAV4	2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018	2003, 2006, 2010	2007
Toyota Sequoia	2006, 2007, 2010	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004	2005, 2008
Toyota Sienna	2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020	2002, 2006, 2009	2007
Toyota Tacoma	2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005	2019
Toyota Tundra	2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019	2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2015	2003

Volkswagen

Make + Model	Low	Moderate	High
Volkswagen CC	2014, 2015, 2016	2011, 2012, 2013	2009, 2010
Volkswagen Jetta	2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021	2002, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016	2006, 2013
Volkswagen Passat	2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019	N/A	N/A
Volkswagen Tiguan	2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022	2010, 2012, 2013, 2014	2009, 2011, 2017

^ Beginning with the 2010 model year, Ram was spun off from Dodge and became a separate brand. Ram-branded trucks are often called Dodges, although this is technically incorrect.

Source:

Data was collected from installed FIXDvehicle sensorss from the 2000-2023 model years.

David Goldberg

Dave Goldberg is an automotive journalist and lifelong car fanatic. He writes for numerous enthusiast and business outlets and is an ongoing contributor to HotCars.com, one of the most popular car culture websites. When he’s not writing or driving, Dave is either under a hood or asleep. His credentials include a BA in Journalism from The George Washington University.

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