Faulty or worn main power relay, such as sticking or intermittent contacts; Corroded, loose or damaged connectors and terminals at the relay, fuse box or control module; Wiring fault in the relay control or feed circuit, such as a chafed wire, high resistance or intermittent short; Weak battery, poor battery terminals or a poor earth connection causing voltage drops during shut-down; Ignition switch or ignition feed signal fault giving the module a false shut-down signal; Internal fault in the control module relay driver or an outdated software calibration, where the manufacturer lists one as a known cause.

P068A

ECM/PCM Power Relay De-Energized Performance - Too Early.

Generic
Powertrain
Generic code
Medium severity

How this code is built

P: SystemPowertrain
0: Defined bySAE, the same on every car
6: AreaComputer and output circuits
8A: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

P068A means the engine or powertrain control module saw its main power relay switch off earlier than expected after the ignition was turned off. The module monitors the relay feed and ignition state, and sets the code when relay power drops before the module has finished its shutdown routine. The exact relay arrangement and monitoring strategy vary by manufacturer and model.

Symptoms

Malfunction indicator lamp on
Long cranking or hard starting after a recent shut-down
Engine stalling or cutting out intermittently
Loss of stored adaptive values or learned settings
Other stored codes for communication or power supply faults

Possible causes

Faulty or worn main power relay, such as sticking or intermittent contactslikely
Corroded, loose or damaged connectors and terminals at the relay, fuse box or control modulelikely
Wiring fault in the relay control or feed circuit, such as a chafed wire, high resistance or intermittent shortpossible
Weak battery, poor battery terminals or a poor earth connection causing voltage drops during shut-downpossible
Ignition switch or ignition feed signal fault giving the module a false shut-down signalpossible
Internal fault in the control module relay driver or an outdated software calibration, where the manufacturer lists one as a known causerare

How to diagnose

Read all stored codes and freeze frame data, then note any related power supply, battery voltage or communication codes before clearing anything.
Check battery condition and charging voltage, and inspect the battery terminals and main earth straps for tightness and corrosion.
Inspect the relevant fuses and the power relay for heat damage, corrosion or loose seating, using the wiring diagram for the specific model.
Check the connectors at the relay base, fuse box and control module for bent, pushed-back or corroded pins.
Test the relay: check coil resistance and contact operation, or swap it with a known good identical relay where the manual allows.
Using the wiring diagram, check the relay feed, control and earth circuits for voltage drop, continuity and shorts, with a wiggle test to find intermittent faults.
Monitor the ignition signal and module supply voltage on a live data scan or oscilloscope while switching the ignition off.
Check for manufacturer service bulletins or software updates relating to this code for the specific vehicle.

How to fix

Replace the faulty power relay with a correct specification part.
Clean, repair or replace corroded or damaged connectors and terminals.
Repair or replace damaged wiring in the relay feed, control or earth circuits.
Replace a weak battery and restore clean, tight battery and earth connections.
Repair or replace a faulty ignition switch or ignition feed circuit.
If all else is sound and a fault is confirmed, replace or repair the control module, or apply a manufacturer calibration update where one is specified for this fault.

Can I keep driving?

Medium severity

The car can usually be driven for a short time, but the fault may cause stalling or hard starting, so get it checked soon. Avoid long journeys if it has stalled or failed to start.

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