Hey, this morning, my '02 2.0L did something for the second time ever that really unnerved me.  It started up on THREE CYLINDERS!!  (At least, that's what it sure feels like.)  It has only done it once before, probably over a year ago, and that time, it sorted itself out within about 30 sec.  This time, I revved it a few times, but it didn't want to pick up the last cylinder.  So, I shut it down (before even backing out), re-started, and it started/ran perfectly (like usual).

I know it has multi-port fuel injection, so it could be an injector that's clogged/not firing.  OR it could be one of the plugs not getting spark.  It is the version with the four individual coils mounted directly on the plugs, so I know it's not a loose plug wire (although could it be a loose wire feeding a coil??).  Or, just a PCM hiccup??

I know I'm probably getting nervous over nothing (only done it twice now in nearly 30,000 mi.), but if it happens again, I'm going to get really worked-up.

Anyone else ever had this happen?

If I start mine up real quick to move it and shut it right down, sometimes the next time I start it there is a miss for a few seconds, then it clears up.

I've had that happen a couple times too, though not for at least a year.  Shutting it off and restarting has always gotten it running right.

It is more likely to be the coil pack or plug than the injector.  The injectors feed into a common manifold, so the cylinder should get some fuel even if "its" injector didn't work.

I had that problem for years, for me it was a sparkplug boot (plug wire).