The check engine light on my 1996 Honda Accord has come on. I took it to the auto zone and the guy told me I needed new spark plugs. Well I got the spark plugs put on and the light still did not go off. So I took the car back to the shop to get it looked at and the code that came up was misfire in cylinder three. What does that mean?

. Only use the exact NGK spark plugs that came in your car. Stay away from cross-referenced spark plugs. Use silicone dielectric grease on the plug, where the plug wire attaches.

. Ensure that the distributor cap, rotor, Ignition Control Module (ICM), coil, and spark plug wires are in good shape. AutoZone can test the ICM and coil for free.

. Be sure and reset ECM.

The misfire code ( P0303 ) was set when the engine control module detected that cylinder # 3 was misfiring enough to affect emissions. The ECM usually looks at the crankshaft position sensor to "see" engine RPM.

The shop you took your car to must have found the plugs to be causing the misfire. However, they should have cleared the code when you were there the first time. That is, after all, what you brought the vehicle in for!