Jerky Acceleration + CEL: Misfire or Sensor Issue?

Had nearly identical symptoms on my 2013 Chevy Cruze last month. The jerking during acceleration plus check engine light pointed to a serious engine misfire. Turned out multiple systems were involved, bad spark plugs, a failing oxygen sensor, and a small exhaust leak near the manifold were all contributing to the rough running. The exhaust leak was actually causing incorrect readings from the oxygen sensor, which made the engine run rich. This created carbon buildup on the spark plugs, leading to the misfires. Once diagnosed, the fix involved: Replacing all spark plugs, New oxygen sensor, Welding the exhaust leak The repair was critical since continued misfiring can damage your catalytic converter and fuel injectors if left unchecked. Would strongly recommend getting the error code read first, most auto parts stores do this for free. Having the code will help narrow down the exact cause before heading to a mechanic. Your symptoms match a fairly common pattern of cascading issues that start with exhaust leaks. Get it checked soon before it leads to more expensive problems.

Really appreciate your detailed response! I had my Lova looked at yesterday and you were spot on about the multiple issues. The main culprit was indeed a faulty oxygen sensor messing with the fuel mixture, plus two ignition coils were shot. The shop also mentioned the spark plugs were pretty worn. Did you have any issues pop up since getting yours fixed? Also, if you don't mind sharing, what was your total repair cost? Just want to make sure I wasn't overcharged compared to similar repairs. The car runs much smoother now, but I'm keeping an eye on the fuel pump performance since the mechanic mentioned it might need attention in the future.

Just wanted to update, since getting the exhaust leak fixed and everything sorted out, my Cruze has been running perfectly smooth. No more engine misfire issues or check engine lights at all. Total cost for my repair was 265 for the exhaust work, which seems pretty reasonable considering the welding work needed. The uneven engine running completely cleared up once they fixed the leak, and fuel economy actually improved a bit too. Sounds like your mechanic did a thorough job identifying the multiple issues. Smart to keep an eye on that fuel pump, preventive maintenance is always cheaper than emergency repairs. The combination of bad ignition coils and worn spark plugs can definitely cause those jerking symptoms you described. When the oxygen sensor gets faulty readings from an exhaust leak, it creates a snowball effect that impacts the whole fuel delivery system. Glad you got it sorted before it could cause more serious engine damage.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! Just wanted to close out this thread with how things turned out. Took the car to a reputable shop and got a full diagnosis. The mechanic found multiple issues just like you all suggested. The faulty oxygen sensor was causing weird fuel mixture readings, and two ignition coils had completely failed. They also replaced the spark plugs since they were pretty worn down. The whole repair took about 4 hours but made a huge difference. Total bill came to around 450 Euro including parts and labor. The car runs way better now, no more jerking during acceleration and the check engine light is finally off. Engine idles smooth as butter. The mechanic did mention keeping an eye on the fuel pump, said there were some early signs of wear. At least now I know what to watch for. Really glad I got this fixed before it caused more damage. The rough idle was definitely getting worse and could have fried the catalytic converter if left unchecked. Worth every penny to have it running right again. Thanks for helping me avoid getting ripped off!