P0308

Cylinder 8 Misfire Detected

Q: Is it safe to drive with P0308?

No — especially with a flashing light. A steady misfire on cylinder 8 can quickly overheat and destroy the catalytic converter.

Q: Can I just clear P0308?

You can, but it returns within a few drive cycles until the cause of the cylinder 8 misfire is repaired.

Ignition / misfire Generic OBD-II High

What it means

P0308 means the engine is misfiring specifically on cylinder 8 — the fuel-air mix in that cylinder isn't igniting properly, so the engine runs rough and loses power. Because unburned fuel passes into the exhaust, a sustained misfire can overheat and ruin the catalytic converter, so it should be traced and fixed promptly.

High

Can I keep driving? Not for long — a misfire on cylinder 8 dumps raw fuel into the exhaust; drive as little as possible until fixed, especially if the check-engine light is flashing.

Real-world scan data

Seen in

245

scans in the past year

Found in

<0.1%

of scans

0.1%

of scans that found faults

Appears alongside · share of P0308 scans

P0300in 61.6% of scans

P1000in 25.7% of scans

P0305in 24.9% of scans

Figures reflect only diagnostic scans recorded through our own apps and tools. Cars are typically scanned because a symptom or warning light prompted it, so these counts describe our scan records — not the incidence of faults in any model, and not the quality, reliability, or safety of any vehicle. No comparison between manufacturers or models is implied. All trademarks belong to their respective owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.

Common symptoms

What you'll notice

Check-engine light on (may flash during an active misfire)
Rough idle, shaking, or stalling
Reduced power and hesitation on acceleration
Engine runs unevenly, sometimes with a smell of raw fuel

Common causes

Most likely first

Worn spark plug on cylinder 8Likely
Failing ignition coil on cylinder 8Common
Faulty or clogged fuel injector on cylinder 8Common
Vacuum leak near cylinder 8's intake runnerLess often
Low compression — worn valves, rings, or a head-gasket issueLess often

How to diagnose & fix

Work through it in order

Read freeze-frame data to confirm the miss is isolated to cylinder 8.
Inspect and replace the spark plug on cylinder 8 — the cheapest and most common cause.
Swap the cylinder 8 coil with a neighbouring cylinder; if the misfire moves, replace the coil.
Check the injector and fuel delivery to cylinder 8.
If it persists, run a compression test to rule out a mechanical fault. Clear and re-test.

FAQ

Quick answers

Is it safe to drive with P0308?+

No — especially with a flashing light. A steady misfire on cylinder 8 can quickly overheat and destroy the catalytic converter.

Can I just clear P0308?+

You can, but it returns within a few drive cycles until the cause of the cylinder 8 misfire is repaired.

Read & clear P0308 yourself

Scan your car, confirm the code, and clear it once it's fixed — with OBD DashX on your phone.

▶ Get it on Google Play

✓ Verified name — SAE J2012 / ISO 15031-6Guidance reviewed by OBD DashX