Injector wiring chafed or shorted to ground in the cylinder 10 circuit; Faulty cylinder 10 fuel injector with internal short or low coil resistance; Corroded, loose or damaged injector connector or ECU connector pins; Water ingress or heat damage to the engine harness near cylinder 10; Faulty injector driver inside the ECU; Outdated or faulty ECU software where the manufacturer has documented a driver fault-detection issue for the engine.

P0288

Cylinder 10 Injector A Circuit Low.

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)
88: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

P0288 means the engine control unit has detected a low voltage or low signal state in the control circuit for the cylinder 10 fuel injector. The ECU monitors the injector driver circuit and compares the actual voltage or current with what it expects. If it sees a short to ground or a signal that stays too low, it sets the code. Only engines with ten or more cylinders (typically V10 or V12) use this cylinder numbering.

Symptoms

Engine misfire, especially on one cylinder
Rough idle or hesitation under load
Illuminated check engine light
Poor fuel economy
Smell of unburned fuel or a rich or lean running condition
Engine may run on fewer cylinders or enter limp mode

Possible causes

Injector wiring chafed or shorted to ground in the cylinder 10 circuitlikely
Faulty cylinder 10 fuel injector with internal short or low coil resistancelikely
Corroded, loose or damaged injector connector or ECU connector pinspossible
Water ingress or heat damage to the engine harness near cylinder 10possible
Faulty injector driver inside the ECUrare
Outdated or faulty ECU software where the manufacturer has documented a driver fault-detection issue for the enginerare

How to diagnose

Read all stored and pending codes and note the freeze frame data (engine load, temperature, rpm) to see when the fault occurs.
Check for other injector or misfire codes to see whether the problem is isolated to cylinder 10 or affects a wider circuit.
Visually inspect the cylinder 10 injector connector and nearby harness for chafing, heat damage, corrosion or oil contamination.
Check the connector pins for tightness, bent terminals and moisture.
With the ignition off, measure the injector coil resistance and compare it with the manufacturer's specification for the engine.
Test the injector wiring for a short to ground and for continuity back to the ECU, with the connectors disconnected.
Check the injector operation with a suitable noid light or a scope trace of the driver signal, following the procedure for the specific engine.
Check for any available software updates or technical service bulletins for the model and engine.

How to fix

Repair or replace the damaged section of wiring that is shorted to ground.
Replace the cylinder 10 injector if its resistance or operation is out of specification.
Clean, repair or replace corroded or damaged connectors and terminals.
Dry out and repair any water-damaged harness sections and seal them properly.
Replace or repair the ECU only after wiring and injector faults have been ruled out and the driver fault is confirmed.
Apply a manufacturer-released software update if one is documented for this fault on the engine.

Can I keep driving?

Medium severity

The car can usually be driven short distances to a workshop, but a persistent misfire can overheat the catalytic converter and cause unburned fuel to wash the cylinder. Avoid heavy loads and long journeys until it is repaired, and stop if the engine runs very roughly or the check engine light flashes.

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