Fuel and air

P02C5 — Cylinder 11 Injector Leaking

Severity: medium Drive with care, to a shop

What P02C5 means

P02C5 means the engine control module suspects the cylinder 11 injector is leaking fuel or not metering it correctly. A healthy injector opens briefly on command and seals fully between pulses. A leaking one upsets the air-fuel mixture in that cylinder, which the ECM notices through fuel trims and misfire data. This code appears on engines with many cylinders, such as V8, V10 and V12 engines.

Symptoms

  • Check Engine light on
  • Rough idle or hesitation under acceleration
  • Reduced power
  • Higher fuel consumption
  • Fuel smell in the engine bay
  • Stored misfire codes
  • Hard starting when the engine is hot

Possible causes

  1. Internal injector leakage or a sticking needle
  2. Worn or damaged injector O-rings and seals
  3. Clogged injector or contaminated fuel
  4. Damaged wiring or a poor connection at the injector connector
  5. Faulty fuel pressure regulator or excessive rail pressure
  6. Intake air leak distorting the mixture
  7. Rarely, a software glitch or ECM fault

How to diagnose

  1. Scan all codes and freeze-frame data, noting any related misfire codes
  2. Review short- and long-term fuel trims and per-cylinder misfire counts
  3. Inspect the cylinder 11 injector, fuel rail and seals for fuel leaks or odor
  4. Check the injector connector and wiring, and measure the injector coil resistance
  5. Measure fuel pressure and how well it holds after shutdown
  6. Compare cylinder behavior by disabling the injector or swapping it with a good one to see if the fault follows
  7. Check the intake system for air leaks
  8. Inspect the cylinder 11 spark plug and smell the engine oil for fuel dilution

Common fixes

  • Replace the cylinder 11 injector
  • Replace the injector O-rings and retaining clips
  • Repair the wiring or replace the connector
  • Replace the fuel pressure regulator if pressure is out of spec
  • Clean the fuel system and replace bad fuel; change the oil if it is diluted with fuel

Questions and answers

Can I drive with code P02C5?

Only a short distance to a shop. A leaking injector causes misfires, dilutes the oil and can damage the catalytic converter and engine.

What most often causes P02C5?

Most often it is the cylinder 11 injector itself with an internal leak, or worn seals. Still, check the wiring and fuel pressure first.

Will injector cleaning fix P02C5?

If the cause is dirt or a sticking injector, cleaning sometimes helps. A mechanically leaking injector usually has to be replaced.

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.