P0363 Misfire detected, fuelling disabled
What P0363 means
When the engine computer detects a misfire severe enough to overheat the catalytic converter, it can switch off the injector for that cylinder. P0363 records that it has done this. The engine runs on fewer cylinders, so it will be rough and down on power, and a specific cylinder misfire code (P0301 to P0312) is usually stored alongside.
P0363 is a generic SAE J2012 code: it means the same on every make. The exact cause still depends on the car, so read the freeze-frame data before replacing parts.
At a glance
- Severity
- High
- Typical repair cost
- 200–2500 €
- Workshop time
- 1–6 h
- Repair difficulty
- Hard
- DIY possible
- No
- Check engine light
- Yes
- Affects emissions test
- Yes
- Limp mode possible
- Yes
Parts and labour at an independent workshop in Europe. Main dealers charge more; the cause decides the bill, not the code.
Symptoms
- Check engine light flashing or on
- Very rough running and strong vibration
- Clear loss of power
- Smell of unburned fuel from the exhaust
Common causes
- Failed ignition coil
- Worn or fouled spark plug
- Faulty or stuck fuel injector
- Low compression in one cylinder (valve or piston ring damage)
- Damaged wiring to the coil or injector
Can I keep driving with P0363?
Avoid driving except slowly to a nearby workshop within a day or two. Continued misfiring can overheat and destroy the catalytic converter and may point to internal engine damage.
What to check first
- Read the accompanying cylinder-specific misfire code to find which cylinder is affected
- Swap that cylinder's ignition coil with a neighbouring one and see whether the misfire follows the coil
- Inspect and replace the spark plug if worn, cracked or oil-fouled
- If ignition is good, test the injector and do a compression test on that cylinder
Related codes
- P0365 Camshaft position sensor B circuit (bank 1)
- P0366 Camshaft position sensor B circuit range/performance (bank 1)
- P0356 Ignition coil F primary control circuit / open
- P0355 Ignition coil E primary control circuit / open
- P0354 Ignition coil D primary control circuit/open
- P0353 Ignition coil C primary control circuit/open
- P0352 Ignition coil B primary control circuit/open
- P0351 Ignition coil A primary control circuit/open
Data: TORKO fault-code catalogue, built on OBDex (CC0-1.0) and reviewed against workshop practice. Informational only — it does not replace a diagnosis by a mechanic.
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