P0316: Misfire Detected on Startup (First 1000 Revolutions)
Key takeaways
- P0316 means the engine computer counted too many misfires in the first 1,000 crankshaft revolutions after the engine started, usually a cold start.
- It rarely comes alone: P0300 or a cylinder code like P0302 tells you which cylinders missed.
- Common fixes are an engine computer update ($100–$200, often free under a bulletin), spark plugs or a coil; a leaking injector is next.
- If the coolant level keeps dropping or the exhaust blows white smoke on startup, stop driving: coolant may be getting into a cylinder.
- 148 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0316, and 118 of them are Ford Escapes, Edges and Fusions.
What P0316 means
Your engine misfired right after it started, before it had turned over a thousand times. Scanners call it Misfire Detected on Startup (First 1000 Revolutions). The computer watches crankshaft speed through the crank sensor; a cylinder that doesn’t fire lets the crank slow for an instant. P0316 sets when those slowdowns pass the allowed rate in the first 1,000 crankshaft revolutions after a start, roughly the first minute of running at a cold idle.
P0316 doesn’t name a cylinder. It almost always comes with P0300 or a numbered code such as P0302, and those tell the shop where the misses happened. Most of the time it’s a cold-start problem.
Is it safe to drive?
Short trips, usually yes. If the engine stumbles for a few seconds after a cold start and then runs smoothly with a steady light, you can drive it to a shop. What changes the answer:
- A flashing check engine light or heavy shaking means a strong misfire that can overheat the catalytic converter. Stop and tow; see our flashing check engine light guide.
- Coolant that keeps going down, white exhaust smoke on startup, or a sweet smell point to coolant getting into a cylinder. Don’t keep driving; running it can bend a rod or ruin the engine.
Causes, ranked
| Cause | How you confirm it | Typical cost (US independent shop, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Engine computer software | A bulletin for your exact engine and build date names P0316 | $100–$200; often $0 under a bulletin |
| Worn or fouled spark plugs | Plugs past their interval, wet or sooty tips; worse on short trips in cold weather | $150–$350 a set (4-cyl), $250–$600 (V6/V8) |
| Weak ignition coil, or water in the plug well | Cylinder code follows the coil when swapped; rust or water in the plug tube | $120–$300 per coil |
| Fuel injector leaking down overnight | Misfire only on the first start after sitting; fuel smell; injector leak-down or balance test | $250–$600 per injector |
| Coolant leaking into a cylinder | Coolant level dropping, white smoke at start, cooling system holds pressure poorly, coolant on a plug tip | $1,500–$4,500; engine replacement costs more |
What to check first
- Read every code and the freeze frame. Note which cylinders missed and the coolant temperature when it set.
- Check the coolant level cold, and look at the reservoir over a few days. A level that keeps falling moves coolant intrusion to the top of the list.
- Ask for a bulletin check. Many newer engines have a software fix for this code.
- Look at the plugs from the cylinders that missed: wet with fuel points to an injector, clean and steam-washed points to coolant, worn points to the plugs.
- Swap coils between cylinders on coil-on-plug engines and see if the miss follows.
- Pressure test the cooling system or do a leak-down test before approving any engine work.
The bulletins are almost all Ford and Lincoln. Many are engine computer updates for 2021–2024 models, including the F-150, Mustang 2.3L, 2023 Escape 2.0L and Transit. A second group covers coolant getting into the cylinders on 1.5L and 2.0L EcoBoost engines in 2014–2019 Fusion, 2017–2019 Escape and 2015–2018 Edge models, with low coolant and white smoke. Others cover water in the spark plug wells on the 2019–2022 Ranger and plug fouling on cold starts.
The complaints follow the same models: 60 of the 148 NHTSA complaints are Ford Escapes (29 of them 2017s), 40 are Edges and 18 are Fusions. Those are owner reports, not a confirmed cause for any one car.
What it costs
The cheap outcome is a software update at $100–$200, often free under a bulletin. The common outcome is spark plugs, a coil or an injector, a few hundred dollars. The expensive outcome is coolant intrusion, $1,500–$4,500 for head or gasket work, and more if the engine has to be replaced. Diagnosis ($100–$180) with a cooling system pressure test is worth it before anyone quotes engine work.
Related codes
Expect P0316 with P0300 and one or more of P0301 to P0304. On Ford EcoBoost engines, P0316 with overheat codes like P0217 or P1299 and a dropping coolant level matches the coolant-intrusion bulletins; see car leaking coolant for what to check at home.
What owners report to NHTSA
148 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0316, 144 of them since 2015, across 16 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: engine.
Most-reported models
| Vehicle | Complaints | Model years reported |
|---|---|---|
| FORD ESCAPE | 60 | 2004, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024 |
| FORD EDGE | 40 | 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 |
| FORD FUSION | 18 | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 |
| FORD MUSTANG | 6 | 2018, 2019 |
| LINCOLN MKC | 5 | 2017, 2019 |
| FORD RANGER | 3 | 2006 |
| FORD F-150 | 3 | 2012, 2014, 2015 |
| LINCOLN MKZ | 3 | 2017, 2019 |
Manufacturer service bulletins that name P0316
73 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P0316, from 5 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:
- FORD MUSTANG (2024), bulletin 10244715: Some 2024 Mustang vehicles equipped with a 2.3L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0300 and/or P0316 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). The vehicle may also ru…
- FORD F-150 (2024), bulletin 11001886: Some 2024 F-150 vehicles built on or before 14-May-2024 equipped with a 3.5L PowerBoost may exhibit an illuminated MIL and set cylinder misfire DTCs P0300, P0316, P0301, P0302, P0302, P0304, P0305 and/or P0306. This may …
- LINCOLN NAUTILUS (2024), bulletin 11008923: Some 2024 Nautilus vehicles equipped with a FHEV powertrain may exhibit an illuminated MIL with DTCs P0300, P0316 and/or P051B stored in the PCM. This may be due to the software level of the PCM.
- FORD ESCAPE (2023), bulletin 10241546: Some 2023 Escape/Corsair vehicles built on or before 25-May-2023 equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300 and/or P0316. T…
- LINCOLN CORSAIR (2023), bulletin 10241546: Some 2023 Escape/Corsair vehicles built on or before 25-May-2023 equipped with a 2.0L EcoBoost engine may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300 and/or P0316. T…
- FORD RANGER (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), bulletin 10207890: Some 2019-2022 Ranger vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304 and/or P0316 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM)…
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database and manufacturer communications file, snapshots September 2026. A complaint or bulletin that mentions a code is a report about that vehicle, not a statement that the code has one cause.
Frequently asked questions
Is P0316 serious?
Usually it's a moderate problem: the engine stumbles for a moment after starting, then smooths out. It becomes serious when it comes with coolant loss or white smoke, which can mean coolant is leaking into a cylinder. In that case, park it and have the cooling system pressure tested.
Why does my car only misfire on a cold start?
A cold engine needs a richer mixture and a strong spark, so weak parts show up first. A worn plug, a coil that breaks down when cold, or an injector that drips fuel into the cylinder overnight can all cause a miss that clears once the engine warms. Coolant seeping into a cylinder while the car sits does the same.
Can I clear P0316 and keep driving?
You can clear it, but it will come back after enough cold starts if the cause is still there. Clear it after a repair or a software update, then watch whether it returns over a week of cold mornings.
What is the difference between P0316 and P0300?
P0300 means random or multiple misfires at any time. P0316 means the misfires happened in the first 1,000 revolutions after startup. They often set together, and the cylinder codes that come with them tell the shop where to look.