Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected
The P0305 code means the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system has detected: Cylinder 5 Misfire Detected. This is a serious severity code.
- Keep driving?
- Limited driving only
- DIY difficulty
- medium
- Estimated cost
- $8-$30 per spark plug; $30-$80 per coil
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Read and clear misfire codes. Shows which cylinder is misfiring so you know exactly what to replace.
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Common Symptoms
- Rough idle
- Vibration
- Check Engine Light
- Loss of power
Probable Causes (Ranked by Likelihood)
- Faulty spark plug on cylinder 5 Very High
- Failed ignition coil on cylinder 5 High
- Clogged fuel injector on cylinder 5 High
- Low compression on cylinder 5 Moderate
Common Fixes by Vehicle
What techs usually find when diagnosing P0305 on specific vehicles — tap your vehicle for the fix and the exact part:
2009-2020 Ford F-150/Expedition 5.0L Coyote Easy DIY
Cylinder 5 misfire on the Coyote V8. Perform a coil swap test with an OE-quality Motorcraft unit. Cylinder 5 is on the passenger side. If coil and plug are good, check for a cracked spark plug -- the Coyote is known for plugs breaking during removal. Use anti-seize on installation. Also check the fuel injector and do a compression test if needed. Confirm the exact part for your year and engine with a retailer's fitment lookup or your VIN before ordering - these applications split by engine and build date.
Labor: 20-30 min2009-2019 Dodge Ram/Chrysler 300 5.7L Hemi Easy (coil), Advanced (lifters) DIY
Cylinder 5 misfire on the Hemi. Swap the coil to another cylinder to test. The Hemi uses coil-on-plug ignition (Mopar). If the coil is good, check for a collapsed MDS lifter -- cylinder 5 is an MDS cylinder on the Hemi. Listen for a loud ticking noise. If lifter is collapsed, all 16 lifters should be replaced. Confirm the exact part for your year and engine with a retailer's fitment lookup or your VIN before ordering - these applications split by engine and build date.
Labor: 20 min (coil), 6-8 hours (lifters)2002-2015 Nissan Altima/Maxima 3.5L VQ35DE Easy DIY
Cylinder 5 on the VQ35DE is on the front bank. Swap the ignition coil (Hitachi) to another cylinder to diagnose. If the coil is good, check the valve clearance and fuel injector. VQ35DE engines can develop worn valve guides at higher mileage causing oil burning in individual cylinders. Check for blue smoke from the exhaust. Confirm the exact part for your year and engine with a retailer's fitment lookup or your VIN before ordering - these applications split by engine and build date.
Labor: 30 min2010-2020 Chevrolet Silverado/Tahoe 5.3L Easy DIY
Cylinder 5 is NOT an AFM cylinder on the 5.3L. Perform a coil swap test (ACDelco) and check the spark plug. If those are good, check the fuel injector balance rate. Cylinder 5 is on the driver side -- check for exhaust manifold leaks near this cylinder that could affect the O2 sensor reading and fuel mixture. Confirm the exact part for your year and engine with a retailer's fitment lookup or your VIN before ordering - these applications split by engine and build date.
Labor: 20-30 minFrequently Asked Questions
The 5.4L Ford V8 has a lot of coil failures: is P0305 likely a coil?
Yes. The Ford 4.6L and 5.4L Triton V8 engines are notorious for coil-on-plug failures, especially the original design. Aftermarket coils with an updated design are available and are the most common fix.
What actually makes the computer set a misfire code?
The OBD II regulation defines two separate misfire thresholds (Title 13 CCR 1968.2, section (e)(3.2)). One is misfire severe enough to damage the catalyst, evaluated in 200-revolution increments — and where the damaging rate would be under five percent, the manufacturer may simply set the limit at five percent. The other is misfire causing emissions to exceed 1.5 times the FTP standards. That is why a flashing light (catalyst-damage rate) means stop driving while a steady light for the same code does not. This is the threshold the monitor is designed around, not a description of your specific fault — the regulation says what the system must detect, not how to find it on your vehicle.
Mechanics Guide Step-by-step diagnosis
Step-by-Step Diagnostic Procedure
-
Swap cylinder 5 coil and plug with a known-good cylinder. Monitor which cylinder the misfire follows.
-
Perform injector balance test on cylinder 5.
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Compression test if ignition and fuel components test good.
Sources 2
This page is built from documented references. Verify against your own service info before repair work.
- California Code of Regulations, Title 13 section 1968.2 (OBD II)malfunction criteria, section (e)
- SAE J2012Diagnostic Trouble Code Definitions (defines the generic OBD-II code ranges)
P0305 on Diesel, EV & Equipment
The same code ID appears across other engines and platforms. The diagnostic flow varies by manufacturer — these are the platform-specific breakdowns:
Commonly Affected Vehicles
- Ford F-150 (5.4L Triton V8)
- Chevrolet Silverado V8
- Dodge Ram 5.7L HEMI
- Audi A6 (2.7T V6: cylinder 5 is the rear bank)
Related Codes
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