P0201: Injector Circuit/Open – Cylinder 1
Key takeaways
- P0201 is an electrical code: the engine computer can't drive the cylinder 1 fuel injector properly, so that cylinder usually misfires.
- Drive only short, gentle trips; if the check engine light flashes or you smell raw fuel, stop.
- Check the injector connector and wiring first ($100–$250); a new injector costs $250–$600.
- 6 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0201; it is a code owners rarely quote.
- 88 manufacturer bulletins name P0201, and many of them send the technician to the injector wiring harness before the injector.
What P0201 means
The engine computer can’t operate the fuel injector for cylinder 1 the way it should. Scanners call it Injector Circuit/Open – Cylinder 1. The computer opens each injector by switching its circuit to ground, and it watches the voltage on that circuit as it does. When the voltage it sees doesn’t match what it commands, most often because the circuit is open, it sets P0201.
This is a circuit code. It doesn’t mean the injector is clogged or leaking; it means something between the computer and the injector’s coil isn’t carrying current. That can be the injector, but it’s more often the plug or the wire.
Is it safe to drive?
Short trips only. With no signal to the injector, cylinder 1 usually gets no fuel and misfires, so expect a rough idle, less power and possibly misfire code P0301. With a steady light, drive gently to a shop. Stop and have the car towed if the check engine light flashes, the engine stalls, or you smell raw fuel, which can mean the injector is stuck open instead of dead.
Causes, ranked
| Cause | How you confirm it | Typical cost (US independent shop, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Loose, unplugged or corroded injector connector | Look at the cylinder 1 injector plug; common right after intake or plug work | $100–$250 (sometimes just a reseat) |
| Damaged injector wiring | Chafed, heat-damaged or chewed harness; test for power at the plug and continuity back to the computer | $100–$250 |
| Failed injector (open coil) | Resistance across the injector is out of spec; on port injection, swap with a neighbor and the code moves | $250–$600 for one injector |
| Lost power feed to the injectors | Blown fuse or bad relay; several injector codes at once | $100–$250 |
| Software fault | Shop finds a matching bulletin for your engine | $100–$200; often $0 under a bulletin |
| Engine computer injector driver failed | Wiring and injector test good, but the computer’s output is dead | $800–$1,800 plus programming |
What to check first
- Read all the codes. P0201 alone points to cylinder 1’s own circuit. Several injector codes, or P0200, point to a shared fuse, relay or harness.
- Inspect the connector. Unplug it, look for corrosion, bent pins and a broken lock, and plug it back in firmly.
- Check power at the plug with a test light, key on. No power means a fuse or feed wire.
- Measure the injector’s resistance and compare it with your engine’s spec.
- Swap injectors on a port-injected engine to see if the code follows. On direct injection, leave the swapping to a shop; those injectors run on high voltage and high fuel pressure.
The bulletins point at wiring. GM’s for the 2021–2022 Escalade, Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Suburban and Yukon XL replace the injector together with the wiring harness. Volkswagen has an injector harness inspection for 2018–2020 Beetle and Tiguan models, and Ram tells technicians on some 2007–2009 trucks to check the injector wiring under the valve cover before replacing injectors.
What it costs
The cheap outcome is a connector or wire repair, $100–$250. The common outcome is one fuel injector, $250–$600, with direct-injection engines at the top. The expensive outcome is an engine computer, $800–$1,800 plus programming, which is rare and should only follow a full circuit test. An hour of diagnosis, usually $100–$180, costs less than buying an injector for a broken wire. If you want to go over your codes first, ask our AI mechanic.
Related codes
P0201 usually sets with P0301 and sometimes P0300. With P0204 it matches a Mazda bulletin pattern; with P0202 and P0203 as well, suspect the shared power feed. If the engine stumbles or bucks, see car sputtering and car jerks when accelerating.
What owners report to NHTSA
6 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0201, 4 of them since 2015, across 5 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: electronic stability control (esc).
Manufacturer service bulletins that name P0201
88 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P0201, from 14 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:
- CADILLAC ESCALADE NA (2021, 2022), bulletin 10211935: This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the fuel injector and the wiring harness to correct a customer concern of Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated with DTC P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, P…
- GMC SIERRA 1500 (2021, 2022), bulletin 10211935: This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the fuel injector and the wiring harness to correct a customer concern of Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated with DTC P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, P…
- CHEVROLET SUBURBAN (2021, 2022), bulletin 10211935: This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the fuel injector and the wiring harness to correct a customer concern of Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated with DTC P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, P…
- CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 (2021, 2022), bulletin 10213243: This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the fuel injector and the wiring harness to correct a customer concern of Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated with DTC P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, P…
- CADILLAC ESCALADE (2021, 2022), bulletin 10213243: This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the fuel injector and the wiring harness to correct a customer concern of Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated with DTC P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, P…
- CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 (2021, 2022), bulletin 10214874: This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the fuel injector and the wiring harness to correct a customer concern of Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated with DTC P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204, P0205, P…
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database and manufacturer communications file, snapshots September 2026. A complaint or bulletin that mentions a code is a report about that vehicle, not a statement that the code has one cause.
Frequently asked questions
Is P0201 a bad fuel injector?
Sometimes, but not first. P0201 means the computer sees a problem in the injector's electrical circuit. A loose or corroded connector or a damaged wire sets the same code, and those are cheaper to find and fix.
Can I drive with P0201?
Short, gentle trips to a shop are usually fine if the light is steady. Cylinder 1 is probably not getting fuel, so the engine will run rough. A flashing light, a strong fuel smell or stalling means stop.
Where is cylinder 1?
It depends on the engine. On most inline four-cylinders it's at the timing-belt or chain end. On V engines each maker numbers cylinders its own way, so look it up before unplugging anything.
Why do I have P0201 and P0204 together?
Look for something the two circuits share, such as a harness section or connector. Mazda has a bulletin for this exact pairing on the 2013–2017 Mazda3, CX-5 and Mazda6.