Charge air cooler coolant pump worn, weak or seized; Low coolant level or air trapped in the charge air cooler circuit; Blocked or restricted charge air cooler circuit, hoses or radiator; Wiring, connector or relay fault in the pump supply or control circuit; Faulty intake air temperature or coolant temperature sensor giving misleading readings; Outdated or faulty engine control unit calibration where the manufacturer has issued a fix; Internal fault in the control unit pump driver.

P026E

Charge Air Cooler Coolant Pump A Performance.

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)
6E: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

P026E is a generic powertrain code meaning the control unit has found the performance of charge air cooler coolant pump A to be outside what it expects. This pump circulates coolant through a liquid-cooled intercooler, and the control unit saw a mismatch between the commanded pump operation and the measured result, such as intake air or coolant temperature not changing as predicted. The exact monitoring strategy depends on the make, model and engine.

Symptoms

Engine warning light on
Reduced power or the engine going into limp mode
Higher than normal intake air temperatures
Pinging or poor performance on hard acceleration in warm weather
Possible whine or no sound from the pump when the ignition is on
Other charge air cooler pump or temperature codes stored

Possible causes

Charge air cooler coolant pump worn, weak or seizedlikely
Low coolant level or air trapped in the charge air cooler circuitlikely
Blocked or restricted charge air cooler circuit, hoses or radiatorpossible
Wiring, connector or relay fault in the pump supply or control circuitpossible
Faulty intake air temperature or coolant temperature sensor giving misleading readingspossible
Outdated or faulty engine control unit calibration where the manufacturer has issued a fixrare
Internal fault in the control unit pump driverrare

How to diagnose

Read all stored and pending codes and note the freeze frame data, including intake air and coolant temperatures
Check the coolant level in the charge air cooler circuit expansion tank and look for leaks around hoses, joints and the cooler
Inspect the pump wiring, connector and fuse or relay for damage, corrosion or heat marks
Listen and feel for the pump running when commanded with a scan tool activation test, if the vehicle supports it
Check the pump supply voltage, earth and control signal at the connector with a multimeter or scope
Compare live intake air temperature and coolant temperature data against ambient and each other to confirm the sensors are plausible
Check hoses for kinks or collapse and feel for temperature differences that suggest a blockage or air lock
Check for manufacturer service bulletins or calibration updates for your model and engine

How to fix

Replace the charge air cooler coolant pump if it fails the activation or electrical tests
Top up with the correct coolant and bleed the circuit following the manufacturer procedure
Clear blockages or replace damaged hoses and any restricted components
Repair or replace faulty wiring, connectors, fuse or relay
Replace any faulty temperature sensor
Update the control unit calibration only if an applicable manufacturer update addresses this fault

Can I keep driving?

Medium severity

The car can usually be driven gently for a short time, but power may be reduced and hot intake air can raise the risk of knock. Get it checked soon, and avoid heavy loads or hard acceleration until it is fixed.

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