Open or broken wire in the secondary air injection control 'B' circuit, especially at connectors or where the harness flexes; Corroded, loose, or water-intruded electrical connector at the secondary air injection valve or pump relay; Failed secondary air injection control valve or pump relay with an internal open circuit on the control side; Short to battery voltage on the control 'B' wire, often from chafing against a metal bracket or another harness; Failed powertrain control module (PCM) driver for the control 'B' circuit, though this is less common; Poor ground connection for the secondary air injection pump or valve, which can skew control circuit voltage readings

DTC codes / P22xx · Fuel and air metering (injector circuits) / P2260

P2260Secondary Air Injection System Control 'B' Circuit High

Q: What does code P2260 mean?

Secondary Air Injection System Control 'B' Circuit High. P2260 means the powertrain control module (PCM) has detected an abnormally high voltage on the control circuit for the secondary air injection system's 'B' control path, which is typically the valve or pump relay control wire. The PCM expects to see a voltage that pulls low when the circuit is commanded on, but instead it sees a voltage that stays near battery positive, indicating an open circuit, a short to power, or a failed control module driver.

P2260 means the powertrain control module (PCM) has detected an abnormally high voltage on the control circuit for the secondary air injection system's 'B' control path, which is typically the valve or pump relay control wire. The PCM expects to see a voltage that pulls low when the circuit is commanded on, but instead it sees a voltage that stays near battery positive, indicating an open circuit, a short to power, or a failed control module driver.

SystemPowertrain

Code typeGeneric (all makes)

SeverityLow

Fix difficultyIntermediate

AreaFuel and air metering (injector circuits)

Symptoms you may notice

Illumination of the check engine light, often with no other noticeable symptoms
A slight hesitation or stumble on cold start if the secondary air injection system fails to operate
A brief rich exhaust smell at startup because extra fuel is not being offset by added air
In some vehicles, a temporary rough idle during the first minute after a cold start
Failure of an emissions readiness monitor, which can prevent the vehicle from passing an inspection

Common causes, most likely first

Open or broken wire in the secondary air injection control 'B' circuit, especially at connectors or where the harness flexes
Corroded, loose, or water-intruded electrical connector at the secondary air injection valve or pump relay
Failed secondary air injection control valve or pump relay with an internal open circuit on the control side
Short to battery voltage on the control 'B' wire, often from chafing against a metal bracket or another harness
Failed powertrain control module (PCM) driver for the control 'B' circuit, though this is less common
Poor ground connection for the secondary air injection pump or valve, which can skew control circuit voltage readings

How to diagnose and fix it

Verify battery voltage and inspect the secondary air injection system fuses and relay, replacing any blown fuse or faulty relay after confirming no short exists
Disconnect the control valve or relay connector and inspect terminals for corrosion, tightness, and water intrusion, cleaning or repairing as needed
Measure resistance of the control 'B' wire from the PCM connector to the valve or relay connector, looking for an open circuit or excessive resistance
Check for short to battery voltage on the control 'B' wire with the key on and the PCM disconnected, repairing any chafed or pinched wire
Command the secondary air injection system on with a scan tool and observe control circuit voltage to confirm the PCM driver is functioning
If the control circuit and component test good, substitute a known-good PCM or perform a driver test to rule out a failed PCM
Clear codes and perform a cold-start drive cycle to verify the repair and confirm the readiness monitor sets

What the control 'B' circuit really tells you

A high voltage on the control circuit often means the PCM is not seeing the expected pull-down to ground, which can be caused by a failed valve solenoid coil rather than a wiring problem.
Many technicians replace the secondary air pump when the actual fault is a corroded control circuit connector at the valve, so always inspect connectors before condemning parts.
The 'B' circuit designation can refer to a second control path on systems with two air injection valves or a dual-pump setup, so confirm which component the 'B' label applies to in the service information.
A short to power on the control wire can be intermittent and only set the code during cold-start conditions when the PCM first commands the system on, so a wiggle test of the harness is essential.
This code does not always mean the secondary air injection system has failed completely; it can set from a marginal voltage offset that still allows the system to function, so verify actual air flow before major repairs.

Can I keep driving with P2260?

The vehicle is safe to drive with P2260 because the secondary air injection system only operates briefly during cold starts to reduce emissions, and the engine will run normally without it. Avoid extended idling from a cold start and schedule diagnosis soon to prevent a failed emissions inspection, but no immediate repair is required.

Tools that help

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