P0302 Chevy Silverado: Cylinder 2 Misfire Diagnosis and Fix

P0302 on a Chevy Silverado indicates a misfire on cylinder 2 — the frontmost cylinder on the passenger side of the engine. Standard single-cylinder misfire diagnosis applies: coil, plug, injector, compression in that order.

Watch a cylinder-specific misfire traced to a failed ignition coil — the same plug, spark and coil checks apply to P0302.

Cylinder 2 Location

On all GM V8 engines: Passenger side cylinders front-to-rear = 2, 4, 6, 8. Cylinder 2 is the frontmost cylinder on the passenger side — directly behind the passenger-side headlight. Accessible and straightforward to work on.

Common Causes

Failed ignition coil on cylinder 2, worn or fouled spark plug, defective fuel injector on cylinder 2. Cylinder 2 is NOT an AFM deactivation cylinder on the 5.3L (AFM uses cylinders 1, 4, 6, 7) — so AFM lifter failure is not a factor for P0302. If standard ignition and injector diagnosis doesn’t resolve P0302, focus on compression and valve train condition.

GMT800 Specific Note

On 1999–2001 GMT800 trucks, the passenger-side intake manifold gasket is a known failure point. A leaking passenger-side gasket allows coolant into the intake, which can cause a persistent P0302 with a coolant-fouled (white/grey residue) spark plug on cylinder 2. Always inspect the plug before condemning the coil on early GMT800 trucks. See our GMT800 complete guide.

Diagnosis Steps

Swap the cylinder 2 coil to cylinder 4. If P0304 sets, replace the cylinder 2 coil. If no change, remove the cylinder 2 plug and inspect carefully — note fouling type (oil = ring issue, carbon = cold running, white = coolant). Replace if worn or fouled. Check injector if coil and plug are good. Compression test last — should read 150–200 PSI. Related: P0300, P0301, P0304.