Fuel and air

P02F3 — Cylinder 6 Injector Circuit Range/Performance

Severity: medium Drive with care, to a shop

What P02F3 means

The engine control module drives each fuel injector and monitors the electrical behavior of its circuit and the result of its operation. P02F3 means the cylinder 6 injector circuit went outside the expected range. It is not always a complete failure; the fault can be intermittent or appear only under certain conditions.

Symptoms

  • Check Engine light on
  • Rough idle
  • Misfire on cylinder 6
  • Reduced power and sluggish acceleration
  • Worse fuel economy
  • Fuel smell or higher emissions

Possible causes

  1. Faulty cylinder 6 injector (electrical or mechanical)
  2. Damaged or corroded wiring or connector in the injector circuit
  3. Injector driver fault inside the ECM
  4. Fuel delivery problems such as low pressure or a clogged filter
  5. Air leak that skews the air-fuel mixture

How to diagnose

  1. Scan for codes and freeze-frame data, and look for related injector or misfire codes
  2. Review fuel trims and adaptation values and compare cylinder balance
  3. Inspect the cylinder 6 injector connector and harness for corrosion, chafing or poor contact
  4. Measure injector coil resistance and compare it to specs or neighboring injectors
  5. Check for power and a control signal at the connector with a noid light or scope
  6. Test fuel pressure and check the fuel filter condition
  7. Look for intake vacuum leaks and exhaust leaks
  8. If wiring and injector are good, test the ECM or seek a specialist

Common fixes

  • Repair or replace damaged wiring and connectors in the injector circuit
  • Replace the cylinder 6 fuel injector
  • Fix fuel supply problems: replace the filter, check the pump and pressure regulator
  • Repair air leaks
  • Repair or replace the ECM if the injector driver is confirmed faulty

Questions and answers

What does P02F3 mean?

The ECM detected that the cylinder 6 injector circuit is working outside its normal range. The cause can be the injector, the wiring or, less often, the ECM.

Can I drive with P02F3?

Only for a short distance and under light load. Misfires can damage the catalytic converter, so don't put off diagnosis.

How do I tell an injector fault from a wiring fault?

Inspect the connector and measure the injector resistance. 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.