Fuel and air

P02EE — Cylinder 1 Injector Circuit Range/Performance

Severity: medium Drive with care, to a shop

What P02EE means

P02EE means the engine control module detected that the cylinder 1 injector circuit is outside its expected range or not performing correctly. Normally the ECM fires the injector by switching its circuit through an internal driver and monitors the current and voltage. When the signal or resistance does not match expectations, the code is stored and the check engine light comes on.

Symptoms

  • Check engine light on
  • Rough idle
  • Misfire or hesitation under acceleration
  • Reduced power
  • Worse fuel economy
  • Fuel smell from the exhaust

Possible causes

  1. Faulty cylinder 1 injector (open winding, shorted coil, sticking)
  2. Damaged wiring or corroded, loose injector connector
  3. Failed injector driver inside the ECM
  4. Low fuel pressure or other fuel supply problem
  5. Vacuum leak skewing the air-fuel mixture

How to diagnose

  1. Read all codes and freeze frame data, and look for cylinder 1 misfire codes
  2. Inspect the injector connector and wiring for corrosion, chafing, heat damage or a poor latch
  3. Measure injector winding resistance and compare it to specification and to the other injectors
  4. Check for power and control pulses at the connector with a scope or noid light
  5. Review fuel trims and cylinder balance data
  6. Test fuel pressure against specification
  7. Check the intake system for vacuum leaks
  8. If wiring and injector are good, test the ECM driver

Common fixes

  • Replace the cylinder 1 injector, or clean and bench test it
  • Repair the wiring or replace the damaged connector or terminals
  • Fix the fuel supply fault (pump, regulator, filter)
  • Repair any vacuum leak
  • Repair or replace the ECM if the driver is faulty

Questions and answers

What does P02EE mean?

It is a cylinder 1 injector circuit fault: the ECM sees values outside the normal range. The cause is usually the injector itself or its wiring and connector, and rarely the ECM.

Can I drive with code P02EE?

Only briefly and gently, to get to a shop. Misfires can overheat and damage the catalytic converter, and extra fuel can thin the oil.

How do I tell a bad injector from a wiring problem?

Measure the injector resistance and check for control pulses at the connector. You can also swap injectors between cylinders: if the fault follows the injector, the injector is bad.

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.