A relatively common, yet difficult to diagnose OBD-II trouble code is P0316. It has the same meaning for the Cadillac CTS as it would any other vehicle. It indicates that there is a misfire at the startup of the vehicle, and that it happens within the first 1000 revolutions of the engine.
P0316: Engine Misfire → At Startup
P0316 Symptoms: Cadillac CTS
When P0316 appears as a stand alone code, there isn’t going to be much in the way of symptoms other than a rough and clunky start. The service engine soon light will come on. That’s usually about it.
When P0316 appears with other codes such as P0300, P0301, etc, it can be a symptom of a much larger problem. If it does appear with a P0301-P0312, those are cylinder specific codes. They indicate a misfire in one of your CTS’s specific cylinders. It would be wise to start looking at those codes for diagnosis.
Cadillac CTS P0316 Causes
As stated above, diagnosing P0316 by itself can be challenging. This is due to the high amount of potential causes.
Ignition Issues
- Bad Spark Plugs– Spark plugs are a common cause of P0316. Take a look at the electrodes and see if they are in good shape. Most vehicles now come with iridium plugs that need changed very infrequently. That being said, the plugs are a great place to start. Here’s a great video on how to see if a spark plug is bad. Cadillac CTS Spark Plugs.
- Spark Plug Wires– On most modern engines, the plug wires are not nearly as long as they once were, but they can still go bad. Here’s how to tell if your plug wires are bad (video).
- Coil Packs– Coil packs rarely go bad, but when they do, they can certainly cause P0316 in your Cadillac CTS. Replacing a set can be very expensive. Here’s how to test them individually.
Fuel Issues
- Fuel Pressure– If the engine is not getting enough fuel pressure, it can’t properly atomize the fuel properly at startup, and will be trying to burn a lean mixture.
- Bad Gas– It can be tough for an engine to start with bad gas. If it struggles to ignite the bad fuel, then P0316 is often thrown.
- Bad Fuel Injector(s)– If you have a fuel injector that has gone bad, it won’t be able to properly atomize the fuel and you’ll get the P0316. Here’s a good video on how to diagnose an injector, it can be a little tricky.
- EGR– A bad EGR system can throw this code in your CTS.
Cam/Crank Sensors
If the ECU is not getting the right signal from these sensors, the vehicles timing is not going to sync up and it’ll misfire.
Conclusion
P0316 is one of the tougher OBDII codes to diagnose when it’s found by itself. If there happens to be another trouble code with it, start your diagnosis with that one and cross reference it with the potential causes on this page.
The most common cause of P0316 are the ignition components. But, a proper diagnosis can save a lot of time and effort first.
If there is something that you would like to add, please leave a comment below. Thank you, and good luck diagnosing your CTS!!