Damaged, chafed or corroded wiring to the cylinder 3 injector, including a short to voltage; Poor connection at the injector plug or engine harness connector (corrosion, bent or loose pins); Faulty cylinder 3 injector with an internal electrical fault; Fault in the injector driver circuit inside the engine control unit; Low or unstable battery or charging system voltage affecting the injector circuit; Outdated control unit software where the manufacturer has a known fix for the model.

P0268

Cylinder 3 Injector A Circuit High.

Generic
Powertrain
Generic code
Medium severity

How this code is built

P: SystemPowertrain
0: Defined bySAE, the same on every car
2: AreaFuel and air metering (injector circuit)
68: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

P0268 indicates the engine control unit has detected a high voltage or fault condition in the control circuit for the cylinder 3 injector (injector A). The control unit monitors the injector driver circuit and sets the code when the signal reads higher than expected. This usually points to a wiring, connector, injector or driver fault rather than a mechanical engine problem.

Symptoms

Engine management light on
Misfire or rough running, especially at idle
Hesitation or loss of power
Difficult starting or extended cranking
Poor fuel economy
Engine running on fewer cylinders or in limp mode on some models

Possible causes

Damaged, chafed or corroded wiring to the cylinder 3 injector, including a short to voltagelikely
Poor connection at the injector plug or engine harness connector (corrosion, bent or loose pins)likely
Faulty cylinder 3 injector with an internal electrical faultlikely
Fault in the injector driver circuit inside the engine control unitpossible
Low or unstable battery or charging system voltage affecting the injector circuitpossible
Outdated control unit software where the manufacturer has a known fix for the modelrare

How to diagnose

Read all stored and pending codes and the freeze frame data, noting engine load, temperature and battery voltage when the fault set
Check for other injector, misfire or fuel trim codes that may show a wider fault
Inspect the cylinder 3 injector connector and the harness for chafing, heat damage, oil contamination, corrosion and pin tension
Check battery condition and charging voltage, as low voltage can upset injector circuits
Use a scan tool's actuator test or live data to see whether cylinder 3 responds and whether the misfire count rises
Measure injector coil resistance and compare it to the manufacturer's specification, as values depend on the engine
Check the injector feed and control wires for short to voltage, open circuit and continuity back to the control unit, following the wiring diagram
Check for applicable software updates or technical bulletins for the model and engine before considering the control unit

How to fix

Repair or replace damaged wiring and fix any short to voltage in the injector circuit
Clean, repair or replace the corroded or loose injector connector terminals
Replace the cylinder 3 injector if its electrical values are out of specification, following the manufacturer's procedure for coding or adaptation
Correct battery or charging system faults
Update the control unit software only if a known fault in the calibration is confirmed for the vehicle
Repair or replace the control unit only after wiring and injector faults have been ruled out

Can I keep driving?

Medium severity

Short, gentle journeys are possible, but get it checked soon. A faulty injector circuit can cause misfires that may damage the catalytic converter and can leave the car stalling or running poorly.

Guide written by AI from the code's definition. Confirm with a diagnosis before replacing parts.