Fault codeP0279

SEVERE

Cylinder 7 Injector Circuit Low

What this code means

Cylinder 7 Injector Circuit Low.

P0279 is a generic code: it means the same thing on every make. P0279 belongs to family P02xx — Injector circuit. Its page explains how to read a code and groups all its codes by part.

Type of fault

The control unit reads a voltage on this circuit below its expected range. Usual causes: a wire shorted to ground or broken, a corroded or loose connector, or the component itself. Check the wiring and connector before replacing the part — that is where many of these faults turn out to be.

Fuel injector

Each injector is an electric valve that sprays fuel into the intake or straight into the cylinder. The control unit opens it for a few milliseconds per cycle and monitors the current that flows through its coil.

What you notice

A cylinder that no longer gets fuel misfires: shaking, loss of power, the warning light flashing in serious cases. An injector that stays open floods the cylinder and can damage the engine.

How to check it

For an electrical fault, check the injector's connector and wiring first, then its coil resistance with a multimeter, comparing with the other injectors. Swapping two injectors between cylinders shows whether the fault follows the injector or stays with the wiring.

Watch it live in Klaro

With an OBD2 adapter plugged in, these live readings show the part at work, when your car reports them:

Short term fuel trim bank 1
Long term fuel trim bank 1
Engine fuel rate

What to do

Have it checked promptly. An injection, fuel-supply or boost fault can cost power, cause misfires and eventually damage the engine or the catalytic converter. If the light is flashing or the engine is overheating, stop driving.

Clearing a code switches the light off but repairs nothing: if the fault remains, the code comes back. Clearing a fault code yourself →

How to read this code

PPowertrain
0standardised code
2Injector circuit
79P0279