P0310: Cylinder 10 Misfire Detected

P0310 means Cylinder 10 Misfire Detected. The engine computer has detected misfires in cylinder 10. It detects them by measuring small changes in crankshaft speed.

CodeP0310
SystemIgnition / misfire
SeverityHigh
TypeGeneric powertrain

Can I keep driving? Limit driving and diagnose promptly. Continued driving can cause damage, stalling or limp mode.

Common symptoms

  • Check engine light on, or flashing during misfire
  • Rough idle and shaking
  • Hesitation and loss of power
  • Poor fuel economy

Possible causes

  • Worn or fouled spark plug in cylinder 10
  • Faulty ignition coil or plug wire for cylinder 10
  • Clogged or failed fuel injector for cylinder 10
  • Vacuum leak near cylinder 10's intake port
  • Low compression in cylinder 10 (valve, rings or head gasket)

How to diagnose P0310

  1. Swap the ignition coil from cylinder 10 with a neighbouring cylinder, clear codes and see whether the misfire follows the coil.
  2. Do the same with the spark plug.
  3. Check injector operation and resistance for cylinder 10.
  4. Do a compression test on cylinder 10 if ignition and fuel are fine.
  5. Check for coolant or oil on the spark plug, which points to a gasket problem.

A flashing check engine light means misfires severe enough to overheat and damage the catalytic converter. Reduce load and get it checked right away.

What the code means, digit by digit

PPowertrain0Generic (SAE) code3Sub-system10Specific fault

Generic codes have the same definition on every OBD-II vehicle (petrol cars from model year 1996 in the US, 2001 in the EU; diesels later). Manufacturers can add their own enhanced codes; those are not listed here.

Related codes

General guidance only. Fault codes describe what the engine computer saw, not which part failed: confirm with testing before replacing parts, and follow the vehicle's service information.