P1296: owner reports and bulletins

Powertrain (manufacturer-specific). We haven't written the explanation for this code yet. Below is what owners and manufacturers have filed with NHTSA.

Got P1296 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

1 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P1296, 1 of them since 2015, across 1 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: engine.

Manufacturer service bulletins that name P1296

18 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P1296, from 2 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:

  • RAM 1500 (2016), bulletin 10141269: Flash: 3.0L Powertrain Diagnostic And System Enhancements This bulletin involves reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest available software. Customers may experience bucking under hard accelerat…
  • JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE (2015), bulletin 10159959: Flash: 3.0L Powertrain Diagnostic And System Enhancements This bulletin involves reprogramming Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with latest available software. It also involves cleaning or replacement of Exhaust Gas Tempe…

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.