P0201: Injector Circuit/Open - Cylinder 1
The engine computer has found an electrical problem in the fuel injector circuit for cylinder 1, so that cylinder may not be getting fuel.
What P0201 means
P0201 narrows the injector circuit fault to cylinder 1. The engine computer drives each injector separately, and it watches the voltage spike that happens when an injector coil switches off. If that spike is missing or the circuit reads open or shorted, it sets the code. A cylinder that gets no fuel cannot fire, so you will usually see a cylinder 1 misfire along with it. The most common causes are an injector with a broken internal coil, a corroded or loose connector, and a broken wire. Injector harnesses on the front of the engine can rub on brackets or get damaged during timing belt or water pump work. RepairPal warns that injectors and computers are often replaced when the fault was in the wiring. A shop measures injector resistance, checks for power at the connector with the key on and uses a noid light to see whether the computer is pulsing it. Replacing a good injector will not help if the wire is broken.
Common symptoms
- Check engine light on
- Misfire on cylinder 1, often with P0301
- Rough idle and shaking
- Loss of power
- Worse gas mileage
Most common causes
- Open or shorted fuel injector coil
- Broken or corroded injector connector
- Damaged wire between the computer and the injector
- Harness damaged near the front of the engine or timing cover
- Engine computer injector driver failure (rare)
What to check yourself first
Cylinder 1 is usually at the front of the engine, nearest the belts or timing cover. Unplug the cylinder 1 injector connector and look for broken locks, green corrosion or pushed out pins. With a meter, measure injector resistance and compare it to a neighboring injector; a reading of zero or open points to a bad injector.
Typical fixes and what they cost
| Fix | Typical cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Replace fuel injector | $768-$953 | Replace if the injector resistance is out of spec or it does not click. |
| Electrical diagnosis to find a wiring or connector fault | $122-$179 | RepairPal warns injectors and computers are often replaced when the wiring is the real problem. |
| Check engine light diagnosis at a shop | $125-$183 | Includes a noid light test to check the injector pulse at the connector. |
| Replace engine control module (ECM/PCM) | $1,122-$1,192 | Only if the injector driver inside the computer is confirmed dead. |
Typical US price ranges for parts and labor, not quotes. Your shop should confirm the cause with a diagnostic before replacing parts.
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Related codes
- P0200 Injector Circuit/Open
- P0301 Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected
- P0202 Injector Circuit/Open - Cylinder 2
- P0351 Ignition Coil "A" Primary/Secondary Circuit
- P0171 System Too Lean (Bank 1)