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DTC codes / P21xx · Fuel and air metering / P216A

P216AFuel Injector Group E Supply Voltage Circuit/Open

P216A indicates that the powertrain control module has detected an abnormal voltage condition on the power supply circuit feeding fuel injector group E, which is a set of injectors wired together on a shared feed. The circuit is open or has excessive resistance, so the injectors in that group may not receive the current needed to fire reliably.

SystemPowertrain
Code typeGeneric (all makes)
SeverityMedium
Fix difficultyIntermediate
AreaFuel and air metering

Symptoms you may notice

  • Illumination of the check engine light, often with no other noticeable symptoms
  • Rough idle or misfire that may be intermittent depending on whether the open circuit is temperature or vibration sensitive
  • Reduced engine power or a limp-home mode if the module disables the affected injector group
  • Poor fuel economy and elevated hydrocarbon emissions from incomplete combustion
  • Hard starting or a stall shortly after startup when the injector group receives no voltage
  • A noticeable rich or fuel-smelling exhaust if injectors in the group fail to open and unburned fuel passes through

Common causes, most likely first

  1. A broken or chafed power feed wire between the fuse box or relay and the injector group E harness connector
  2. Corroded, backed-out, or water-intruded terminals at the injector group E connector or an intermediate splice
  3. A failed injector group E fuse or a faulty injector supply relay that does not close reliably
  4. An open winding in one injector of the group that breaks the shared supply circuit
  5. Damage to the harness from rodent chewing, heat exposure, or rubbing against a bracket
  6. A poor ground or corroded chassis ground point that raises resistance on the supply side
  7. An internal fault in the powertrain control module driver for that injector group, though this is the least common cause

How to diagnose and fix it

  1. Scan all modules and record freeze-frame data for P216A, then clear the code and verify whether it returns immediately or only under specific conditions
  2. Inspect the injector group E fuse and supply relay, testing the relay for proper continuity and swapping it with a known-good identical relay
  3. Disconnect the injector group E harness connector and check for battery voltage on the supply pin with the key on, then inspect terminals for corrosion or push-out
  4. Perform a voltage drop test along the supply wire from the fuse box to the injector connector while loading the circuit with a test light
  5. Measure the resistance of each injector in group E and compare against the manufacturer's specification to rule out an open winding
  6. Wiggle-test the harness and connectors while monitoring injector supply voltage to expose an intermittent open circuit
  7. Repair or replace the faulty section of harness, terminal, or injector, then clear codes and confirm the supply voltage and injector operation with a bidirectional scan tool

What the injector group supply code hides

  • A shared supply circuit means one failed injector or one corroded terminal can set P216A for the entire group, so technicians who replace all injectors without testing the feed wire waste money.
  • The code can be set by a relay that clicks but has burned contacts, which passes a no-load voltage test yet drops voltage as soon as the injectors draw current.
  • Intermittent P216A that appears only on hot restarts often traces to a harness splice inside the engine loom that expands and opens with heat rather than to any injector itself.
  • A weak battery or failing charging system can cause the module to log this code because supply voltage sags below the threshold during cranking, so check system voltage before condemning the injector circuit.
  • Some vehicles group injectors by bank or by firing order rather than physically, so confirm the group E assignment in the service information before probing wires.

Can I keep driving with P216A?

You can usually drive a short distance to a repair shop if the engine still runs smoothly, but avoid heavy acceleration, towing, or long trips because a dead injector group can cause misfires that damage the catalytic converter. If the engine is misfiring badly or enters limp mode, stop driving and arrange a tow.

Tools that help

Tools we recommend are in the Auto Veteran shop on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Guidance is general and written for all OBD-II vehicles. Exact tests and values vary by model, so confirm the fault before replacing parts.

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