DTC P0300-P0306: Engine Misfire Detected: Description
WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 6 other vehicles, including the 2002 GMC Sonoma, 2002 GMC Safari, 2002 GMC Jimmy, 2002 Chevrolet S10 Pickup, and 2002 Chevrolet Blazer. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) uses information from the crankshaft position (CKP) sensor and the camshaft position (CMP) sensor in order to determine when an engine misfire is occurring. By monitoring variations in the crankshaft rotation speed for each cylinder, the PCM is able to detect individual misfire events. A misfire rate that is high enough can cause three-way catalytic converter damage. The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will flash ON and OFF when the conditions for catalytic converter damage are present.