P1208
Cylinder 8 Fuel Injector Circuit Electrical Malfunction.
- Volkswagen
- Powertrain
- Manufacturer code
- Medium severity
How this code is built
- P
- SystemPowertrain
- 1
- Defined byThe manufacturer
- 2
- AreaFuel and air metering (injector circuit)
- 08
- FaultThe specific fault in that area
What it means
On Volkswagen, P1208 means the engine control unit has detected an electrical fault in the circuit for the cylinder 8 fuel injector. It monitors the injector driver circuit and sets the code when the current or voltage does not match what it expects, which points to an open circuit, a short or a failing injector coil. It only applies to engines with eight cylinders, so the exact layout and wiring depend on the model and engine.
Symptoms
- Engine management warning light on
- Rough running or misfire, particularly at idle
- Hesitation or reduced power under load
- Smell of unburnt fuel or poor fuel economy
- Hard starting or an engine that runs on fewer cylinders
- Car may enter a reduced-power mode
Possible causes
- Faulty cylinder 8 fuel injector with open or shorted coil windinglikely
- Damaged, chafed or corroded wiring between the injector and the engine control unitlikely
- Poor connection at the injector plug, such as loose, corroded or spread terminalslikely
- Wiring short to earth or to battery voltage within the harness or from a neighbouring circuitpossible
- Fault in the engine control unit injector driver circuitrare
- Low or unstable supply voltage to the injector circuit from a fuse, relay or earth problempossible
How to diagnose
- Read all stored and pending codes and note any related misfire or other injector codes
- Review freeze frame data to see engine speed, load and temperature when the fault set
- Visually inspect the cylinder 8 injector connector and nearby harness for heat damage, chafing, oil contamination and corrosion
- Check the injector plug is fully seated and the terminals have good tension and no corrosion
- Measure the injector coil resistance and compare it with the specification for that engine
- Check the injector supply and control wires for continuity, and for shorts to earth or to voltage, using the wiring diagram for the model
- Check the relevant fuses, relays and earth points for the injector supply
- Swap the injector with another cylinder, if accessible and appropriate for the engine, and see whether the fault follows it
How to fix
- Replace the cylinder 8 injector if the coil resistance or operation is out of specification
- Repair or replace damaged wiring and ensure the repair is properly sealed and secured
- Clean or renew the injector connector and terminals if they are corroded or loose
- Correct any supply, fuse, relay or earth fault found in the injector circuit
- Replace or repair the engine control unit only after the wiring and injector have been fully proven good
Can I keep driving?
The car can usually be driven a short distance to get it repaired, but avoid heavy loads and long trips. A failed injector circuit can cause misfiring and unburnt fuel reaching the catalytic converter, which may damage it, so get it fixed soon.
Guide written by AI from the code's definition. Confirm with a diagnosis before replacing parts.