P0206: Injector Circuit/Open – Cylinder 6
Key takeaways
- P0206 is an electrical code: the engine computer can't drive the cylinder 6 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.
- No complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0206; it is a code owners rarely quote.
- 94 manufacturer bulletins name P0206, many of them harness checks and engine software updates.
What P0206 means
The engine computer can’t operate the fuel injector for cylinder 6 the way it should. Scanners call it Injector Circuit/Open – Cylinder 6. The computer fires each injector by switching its circuit, and it watches the voltage on that circuit while it does. When what it sees doesn’t match what it commands, most often because the circuit is open, it sets P0206.
It’s a circuit code, not a clogged-injector code. Something between the computer and the injector’s coil isn’t carrying current. That can be the injector itself, but the connector and the wire come first. You’ll only see it on engines with six or more cylinders.
Is it safe to drive?
Short trips only. Without a signal, the cylinder 6 injector usually stays shut, the cylinder misfires, and you get a rough idle, less power and often misfire code P0306. 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 6 injector plug; common right after intake, plug or coil 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) | Injector resistance 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. P0206 alone points to cylinder 6’s own circuit. Several injector codes, or P0200, point to a shared fuse, relay or harness.
- Inspect the connector. Unplug it, check for corrosion, bent pins and a broken lock, and reseat it firmly. Rear-bank injectors on a V6 often sit under the intake, so this can be a shop job.
- Check power at the plug with a test light, key on. No power means a fuse or feed wire.
- Measure the injector’s resistance against your engine’s spec.
- Swap injectors on a port-injected engine to see if the code follows. On direct injection, leave it to a shop; those injectors run on high voltage and high fuel pressure.
The bulletins point at wiring and software. GM’s for the 2021–2022 Escalade, Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Suburban and Yukon XL replace the injector together with the wiring harness, and Ford’s for the 2021 Expedition and Navigator says to inspect the injector harness connection if diagnosis leads to a new injector. Ram has engine software updates naming P0206 for 2013–2014 heavy-duty trucks with the 6.7L diesel, and tells technicians on some 2007–2009 trucks to check the 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
P0206 usually sets with P0306 and sometimes P0300. With P0205 or P0201 through P0204 as well, suspect the shared power feed or harness. For what the light itself means, see check engine light on; if the engine stumbles, see car sputtering.
What owners report to NHTSA
No consumer complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0206. That usually means it's rare, or owners don't quote the code when they file.
Manufacturer service bulletins that name P0206
94 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P0206, from 12 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
Does P0206 mean the injector is bad?
Not necessarily. P0206 means the computer sees a problem in the injector's electrical circuit. A loose connector, a corroded pin or a damaged wire sets the same code, so test those before buying an injector.
Can I drive with P0206?
Short, gentle trips to a shop are usually fine if the light is steady. Cylinder 6 is probably not getting fuel, so the engine runs rough. A flashing light, a strong fuel smell or stalling means stop.
Which engines can set P0206?
Only engines with six or more cylinders: V6, inline-six and V8. On a V6, cylinder 6 is often at the back of the engine near the firewall, which makes the connector harder to reach, but numbering varies by maker.
Why do I have several injector codes at once?
When P0206 shows up with other injector codes, look for something they share: a fuse, a relay, a harness section or a connector. Bulletins for 2021 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator and 2021–2022 GM full-size trucks list P0201 through P0206 together.