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P0201 is a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) for "Injector Circuit Malfunction - Cylinder 1". This can happen for multiple reasons and a mechanic needs to diagnose the specific cause for this code to be triggered in your situation. Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office to perform the Check Engine Light diagnostic for $154.99 . Once we are able to diagnose the problem, you will be provided with an upfront quote for the recommended fix and receive $50.0 off as a credit towards the repair. All our repairs are backed by our 12-month / 12,000-mile warranty.
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P0201 is referencing a generic issue in the injector circuit in cylinder 1.
The diagnostic trouble code P0201 tells us the ECM has detected a malfunction with the cylinder 1 injector circuit. This code indicates out-of-range performance was detected in the operation of cylinder 1 injector circuit.
Once a malfunction is detected, a Check Engine Light is triggered and failsafe mode is enabled. Failsafe mode will remain in effect until normal operation is detected or the code is repaired.
Symptoms may be felt before a Check Engine Light is set on the dashboard. Vehicles may experience a rich or lean condition accompanied by an engine misfire. Additionally, the vehicle may run poorly or not at all. In cases where the vehicle dies, it may not restart. The vehicle may exhibit poor acceleration, lack of power, and poor gas milage.
Qualified technicians will begin by hooking up an advanced scanner to the DLC port and checking for codes. Any code present will generally have freeze frame data associated with it. This tells them under what conditions, such as vehicle speed, operating temperature, and engine load, the code occurred under.
The codes will then be cleared and the test driven to see if the code will come back or if it was a one-time occurrence. If the code comes back, a visual inspection will be performed on the injector circuit and fuel injector itself.
Next, the technician will check for voltage at the injector to confirm proper operation. A scan tool will be used to monitor injector operation and a noid light will be installed in the injector wiring to test for the correct pulses of the fuel injector.
If all of this checks out, a manufacture specific ECM test will be performed.
Mistakes can be made performing diagnosis of any code if proper steps are not followed or are skipped.
Though the most common cause of P0201 is the cylinder 1 fuel injector, it must be properly tested to ensure it is at fault. If the inspection is not done properly, unnecessary repairs may be done, which can waste both time and money.
The seriousness of this code can range from just the Check Engine Light being present, to the vehicle running poorly and having a lack of power. Any code that has the potential for the vehicle to die while running should be repaired as soon as possible for safe operation of the vehicle.
Cylinder 1 is generally found on the driver's side of the engine bay. The fuel injector will be found attached to the fuel rail installed onto the engine intake.
Fuel injectors are a common failure in vehicles with over 100,000 miles due to the contaminated particles in the gasoline. In some cases, the fuel system may be helped by using a product such as Seafoam to clean the system. This may help with injector issues in some cases.
Advanced diagnostic tools are needed to diagnose P0201 effectively. An advanced scan will be needed to check ECM recorded voltage and resistance of the injectors. This can also tell technicians how the voltage and resistance changes over time by plotting this data on a graph.
A noid light set is used to check the pulse operation of the fuel injectors. This is a more advanced test than just checking for voltage, but the ECM looks for the proper pulses to determine if the injector is operating properly.
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