Fuel and air

P0267 — Cylinder 3 Fuel Injector Circuit Low

Severity: medium Drive with care, to a shop

What P0267 means

The engine control module switches each fuel injector by grounding its circuit through a driver, and it monitors the voltage in that circuit. P0267 is set when the signal in the cylinder 3 injector circuit is lower than expected. Typical causes are a short to ground, a failed injector coil or a faulty driver in the module. The injector may then deliver the wrong amount of fuel or none at all.

Symptoms

  • Check Engine light on
  • Rough idle and misfire on cylinder 3
  • Loss of power or hesitation on acceleration
  • Higher fuel consumption
  • Engine vibration
  • Hard starting

Possible causes

  1. Failed cylinder 3 fuel injector (open or shorted coil)
  2. Damaged wiring or corroded terminals at the injector connector
  3. Short to ground in the injector wiring harness
  4. Faulty injector driver inside the ECM
  5. Poorly seated or incorrectly connected connector after earlier repairs

How to diagnose

  1. Read codes and freeze frame data, and look for related misfire codes (P0303) or other injector codes.
  2. Inspect the cylinder 3 injector connector and harness for chafing, oil, corrosion or heat damage.
  3. Measure injector coil resistance and compare it with the other injectors and the factory spec.
  4. With the connector unplugged, test the circuit wire for a short to ground.
  5. Swap the cylinder 3 injector with a neighbor and see if the fault follows the injector.
  6. Check injector pulses with a noid light or oscilloscope.
  7. If the wiring and injector are good, verify power and signal at the ECM connector and then suspect the module.

Common fixes

  • Repair damaged wiring and replace the connector or terminals
  • Replace the faulty cylinder 3 fuel injector
  • Locate and eliminate the short to ground in the harness
  • Repair or replace the ECM if its injector driver has failed

Questions and answers

What does P0267 mean?

It means the ECM detected a low signal in the control circuit of the cylinder 3 fuel injector. The cause is most often the injector, wiring or connector, and less often the ECM itself.

Can I drive with P0267?

Only for a short distance until it is repaired. The cylinder may not fire, the engine will run rough, and the catalytic converter can overheat from unburned fuel.

Should I replace the injector right away?

No. Check the connector, wiring and injector coil resistance first. Swapping injectors between cylinders quickly shows whether the injector or the circuit is at fault.

This is general information about the code. The meaning can differ between makes and models: a scan tool and the repair manual for your car will show the exact cause.