P0481: owner reports and bulletins

Powertrain (generic, all makes). We haven't written the explanation for this code yet. Below is what owners and manufacturers have filed with NHTSA.

Got P0481 on your scanner? Tell the mechanic your year, make, model and any symptoms and you'll get the likely cause and what to check first. Ask about this code.

What owners report to NHTSA

15 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0481, 15 of them since 2015, across 5 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: engine.

Most-reported models

VehicleComplaintsModel years reported
JEEP RENEGADE102015, 2016, 2017

Manufacturer service bulletins that name P0481

11 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P0481, from 3 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:

  • FORD ESCAPE (2017, 2018, 2019), bulletin 10176943: Some 2017-2019 Escape vehicles equipped with a 1.5L or 2.0L engine may exhibit fuse F34 open with an illuminated MIL and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0034, P023A, P0245, P0480, P0481, P0645, P06A0, P06DB, P188D, P026…
  • LINCOLN CONTINENTAL (2017), bulletin 10093867: SOME 2017 CONTINENTAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.7L OR 3.0L ENGINE WITH AWD AND BUILT ON OR BEFORE 30-SEP-2016 MAY EXHIBIT AN ILLUMINATED MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL), LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING, INOPERATIVE AIR CONDIT…
  • RAM 2500 (2014), bulletin 10139893: Flash: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Powertrain Diagnostic And System Improvements This bulletin involves reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest available software. The following powertrain syst…
  • RAM 1500 (2014), bulletin 10139885: Flash: Powertrain System Improvements/Enhancements This bulletin involves reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest available software. The following powertrain system improvements/enhancements ar…

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.