OBD2 Diagnostic Code
P0267
Cylinder 3 Injector Circuit Low — What It Means & Practical Fix Tips
P0267 is a circuit code — not a death sentence for your injector. Before anyone quotes you a full injector replacement, read this. In many cases the fix is a corroded connector or a damaged wire, and it costs a fraction of a new injector.
Severity
8 / 10
High. Cylinder misfires damage the catalytic converter quickly. Address within days, not weeks.
Safe to Drive?
Briefly Only
Short trips to a shop are acceptable. Extended driving risks catalytic converter damage from unburned fuel.
Typical DIY Fix Cost
Low – Moderate
Connector cleaning or wiring repair is inexpensive. Injector replacement costs more but is sometimes avoidable.
🔍 What This Code Means
Your engine's computer — the ECM — controls each fuel injector by rapidly switching a ground circuit on and off. This switching signal tells the injector exactly when to open and how long to stay open. P0267 means the ECM detected a voltage reading on the cylinder 3 injector control circuit that is lower than expected.
Think of it like a light switch circuit where someone measured the voltage and got zero when the bulb should have been on. That tells you something in the circuit has gone wrong — but it does not tell you whether it is the bulb (the injector), the wiring, or the switch itself (the ECM driver). The code names the cylinder; the diagnosis tells you the cause.
💡 Cylinder numbering varies by vehicle. On most inline 4-cylinder engines, cylinder 3 is the third from the front. On V6 engines, check your specific firing order — cylinder 3 could be on either bank. Look up your vehicle's layout before pulling any connectors.
P0267 is specific to cylinder 3. If you see similar codes for other cylinders alongside it — P0261 (cyl 1), P0264 (cyl 2), P0270 (cyl 4) — a shared power or ground circuit failure is more likely than multiple simultaneous injector failures. That pattern dramatically changes the diagnostic path.
⚡ Common Symptoms
Because cylinder 3 is not firing correctly, the symptoms tend to be more obvious than with codes that affect the entire engine's fuel trim. You will usually feel this one.
Rough idle — one cylinder stumble
A characteristic rhythmic miss at idle. The engine shakes unevenly because one cylinder fires weakly or not at all. This is often the first noticeable symptom.
Active misfire on cylinder 3
P0267 frequently appears alongside a P0303 (Cylinder 3 Misfire) code. If both are present, the injector circuit is almost certainly the cause of the misfire.
Loss of power and acceleration hesitation
With one fewer cylinder contributing, the engine feels noticeably flat — especially when merging, passing, or climbing grades.
Fuel smell from the exhaust
Unburned fuel passes into the exhaust system and through the catalytic converter. A raw fuel smell — especially at startup — is a warning sign the converter is under stress.
Increased fuel consumption
The ECM tries to compensate for the misfiring cylinder by adjusting fueling on other cylinders, which generally hurts efficiency.
Check engine light — solid or flashing
A flashing check engine light means an active misfire is occurring right now. If it is flashing while driving, pull over safely and reduce load. Sustained misfire can destroy the catalytic converter in minutes.
⚠️ If the check engine light is flashing while the vehicle is moving, reduce speed immediately and avoid hard acceleration. A flashing light means catalytic converter damage is actively occurring.
🎯 Most Likely Causes
Listed from most common to least common. Start at #1 every time. Most P0267 cases are resolved before you ever touch the injector itself.
1
Corroded or damaged injector connector
The two-wire connector that plugs into the cylinder 3 injector is exposed to heat, vibration, and moisture throughout its life. Green corrosion on the terminals, a cracked connector body, or a terminal that has backed out of its housing creates the low-voltage condition the ECM reads as a fault. This is the cause in a significant portion of P0267 cases and costs almost nothing to address.
~ 38% of cases
2
Damaged or shorted wiring in the injector circuit
The wire running from the ECM to the cylinder 3 injector can chafe against the engine block, a bracket, or an exhaust component. Anywhere the insulation wears through and the copper touches ground metal, a short circuit drops the voltage the ECM sees. Wiring harness repairs are DIY-friendly if you can find the damage.
~ 28% of cases
3
Failed fuel injector — internal short circuit
The coil of wire inside a fuel injector can short internally over time, especially with high mileage or after heat damage. An internally shorted injector reads near zero ohms when measured across its terminals — healthy injectors typically measure 11–17 ohms depending on the application. A failed injector requires replacement, not cleaning.
~ 20% of cases
4
Shared injector power circuit fault (fuse, relay, or wiring)
Fuel injectors on the same bank typically share a common 12V power supply through a fuse or relay. If that fuse is blown or the relay is failing, multiple injector codes will appear together. Check the injector fuse in your fuse box first if you have more than one injector code set simultaneously.
~ 9% of cases
5
ECM driver failure (rare)
The ECM itself contains individual transistor drivers for each injector. A failed driver produces the same low-circuit voltage code but will not respond to any wiring or injector repair. Only diagnose this after confirming the injector connector, wiring, and injector resistance are all verified good. ECM failures account for a very small percentage of P0267 cases.
~ 5% of cases
🔧 What to Check First
Do these three checks before spending any money. A multimeter helps for step three, but the first two steps require no tools at all. This sequence solves the majority of P0267 cases.
1
Inspect the cylinder 3 injector connector
With the engine cold, find the fuel injector on cylinder 3 and unplug its electrical connector. Look inside both sides of the connector with a flashlight. You are looking for green corrosion on the metal terminals, bent or pushed-back pins, or a cracked plastic housing. Spray both sides with electrical contact cleaner, let it dry fully, and plug it back in firmly. Clear the code and drive 50 miles — this single step resolves more P0267 cases than anything else.
2
Trace the injector wiring harness for damage
Follow the wire from the cylinder 3 injector connector back toward the main harness. Run your fingers along the entire length feeling for hard spots, kinks, or areas where the insulation feels thin. Pay particular attention to anywhere the harness passes near an exhaust manifold, a sharp bracket edge, or a moving component. Any spot where the wire touches bare metal is a potential short. Damaged sections can be repaired with heat-shrink solder connectors.
3
Measure the injector resistance with a multimeter
Disconnect the cylinder 3 injector connector. Set your multimeter to the resistance (Ω) setting. Touch the probes to the two terminals on the injector body itself — not the connector, the injector. Most port fuel injectors should read between 11 and 17 ohms. A reading near zero (0–2 ohms) indicates an internal short — the injector has failed. A reading within the normal range points to wiring or connector problems upstream of the injector, not the injector itself.
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⚠️ Common Misdiagnosis
These three diagnostic shortcuts get P0267 wrong regularly. Knowing them in advance can save you from an expensive repair you did not actually need.
⚠ Misdiagnosis #1 — Injector replaced without checking the connector first
A corroded or loose injector connector produces exactly the same P0267 code as a failed injector. The resistance test takes three minutes with a multimeter. A new injector is pointless if the connector feeding it is the actual problem — and the code will return immediately after installation. Any shop replacing an injector without first verifying connector integrity and wiring continuity is skipping the diagnostic process.
Potential savings: Connector cleaning vs. full injector replacement cost
⚠ Misdiagnosis #2 — Injector cleaning service sold instead of a circuit repair
P0267 is an electrical circuit code — low voltage detected by the ECM. Professional injector cleaning addresses flow restriction and clogging. It does nothing for an electrical fault. If the root cause is a wiring short or a corroded connector, a cleaning service will not fix it. Make sure the shop distinguishes between a flow problem (which cleaning helps) and a circuit problem (which it does not).
Potential savings: Avoid unnecessary service on the wrong problem
⚠ Misdiagnosis #3 — ECM blamed before the wiring is fully inspected
ECM failures are rare. A P0267 code alone is not sufficient justification for replacing or reprogramming an ECM. The correct sequence is: verify connector condition → verify wiring continuity and resistance → verify injector resistance → only then consider the ECM. Shops that jump to ECM diagnosis without completing the wiring inspection are taking your money without doing the work.
Potential savings: Significant — ECM replacement or reprogramming is expensive
💰 Estimated Repair Cost
DIY cost = parts only. Shop cost = parts plus labor. Ranges vary by vehicle, region, and shop rate. Use these as a planning guide — not a fixed quote.
Connector cleaning & repin
DIYMinimal
ShopLow
LevelVery Easy
Injector wiring repair
DIYVery Low
ShopLow–Moderate
LevelModerate
Fuel injector replacement (cyl 3)
DIYModerate
ShopModerate–High
LevelIntermediate
Injector fuse / relay replacement
DIYVery Low
ShopLow
LevelVery Easy
Full injector set replacement
DIYHigh
ShopHigh
LevelAdvanced
ECM diagnosis & repair
DIYNot Recommended
ShopVery High
LevelProfessional
✅ Always verify connector condition and injector resistance before authorizing any parts replacement. The majority of P0267 cases involve the connector or wiring — not the injector itself.
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🚗 Most Reported On
P0267 can appear on any gasoline-powered vehicle. These models report it most frequently based on owner data and verified repair records.
GM 3.1L / 3.4L V6 (1995–2005, many models)
Chevy Silverado (2001–2007, 5.3L V8)
Dodge Ram 1500 (2003–2008, 4.7L V8)
Ford F-150 (2004–2010, 5.4L Triton)
Jeep Grand Cherokee (2005–2010, 3.7L V6)
GMC Sierra (2003–2007, 4.8L / 5.3L)
Chrysler 300 (2005–2010, 3.5L V6)
Pontiac Grand Prix (2004–2008, 3.8L V6)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive with P0267 active?
Short distances only, and carefully. With cylinder 3 not firing properly, the engine is running on fewer cylinders than designed. Raw fuel can wash past the cylinder into the catalytic converter and destroy it — a much more expensive repair. Get this diagnosed within a day or two, not weeks.
Why does P0267 keep coming back after I clear it?
Clearing the code removes the warning light, not the fault. The ECM will re-detect the low circuit voltage within a few drive cycles and set the code again. The underlying wiring fault, connector problem, or injector failure has to be found and corrected for the code to stay off permanently.
What is the difference between P0267 and P0268?
P0267 is Cylinder 3 Injector Circuit Low — the ECM sees a voltage that is too low on the injector control wire. P0268 is Cylinder 3 Injector Circuit High — the opposite condition, where voltage is too high. Both point to circuit or injector problems on the same cylinder but indicate different electrical failure modes. Low typically means a short to ground; high typically means an open circuit or short to power.
How do I know if the injector itself is bad versus a wiring problem?
A multimeter is the quickest way to tell. Unplug the cylinder 3 injector connector. Measure the injector's internal resistance between its two terminals directly on the injector body. Most port fuel injectors should read between 11 and 17 ohms. A reading near zero indicates a short circuit inside the injector coil — that points to injector failure. A reading within spec points toward the wiring or connector upstream of the injector.
Will a bad cylinder 3 injector damage my catalytic converter?
Yes, it can. When cylinder 3 does not fire, raw unburned fuel exits through the exhaust. The catalytic converter tries to burn it off, which overheats the substrate internally. Sustained driving with an active misfire — especially at highway speeds — can melt the catalytic converter's ceramic substrate in under an hour of driving. This is one of the main reasons P0267 should be diagnosed quickly.
🔗 Related Codes
These codes share similar root causes or commonly appear alongside P0267.
This guide is for informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic before performing any vehicle repair. OBDPlatform is not responsible for actions taken based on this content.