HomeTrouble CodesP0289

P0289 — Cylinder 10 Injector Circuit High

Generic OBD-II · all makesPowertrain (engine & transmission)

P0289 indicates that the powertrain control module (PCM) has detected a voltage higher than expected on the fuel injector control circuit for cylinder 10. This usually points to a short to battery voltage in the injector wiring, connector, or the injector itself, though a faulty injector driver in the PCM is possible but uncommon.

Symptoms

What causes it — most likely first

1. Injector internal short to voltage

The injector coil or internal diode may be shorted to battery voltage, causing the PCM to see an excessively high voltage on the control circuit.

2. Wiring harness short to voltage

A chafed or damaged wire in the injector circuit for cylinder 10 may be contacting a power source, producing a high‑voltage signal to the PCM.

3. Corroded or loose connector

Poor contact or corrosion at the injector connector can create an abnormal voltage reading that the PCM interprets as a circuit high condition.

4. PCM injector driver fault

Although uncommon, a failure in the PCM’s injector driver circuit for cylinder 10 can cause a false high‑voltage reading; this should be considered only after wiring and injector are verified good.

How it's diagnosed

  1. Retrieve the code and any freeze‑frame data to confirm the condition.
  2. Visually inspect the injector harness and connector for cylinder 10 for damage, chafing, corrosion, or loose pins.
  3. Measure the injector coil resistance with the key off; compare to manufacturer specifications.
  4. With the key on (engine off), check for voltage at the injector connector; it should be near zero when the injector is not commanded and show a pulsing signal when commanded.
  5. Swap the cylinder 10 injector with a known‑good injector from another cylinder and see if the code follows the injector.
  6. If wiring and injector test good, perform a PCM injector driver output test or consider PCM evaluation as a last resort.

Code facts & related codes

SystemPowertrain (engine & transmission)
StandardizationSAE generic — identical on every make

Frequently asked

Is replacing the PCM the usual fix for P0289?

No. The PCM is rarely at fault for this code; most cases are caused by a shorted injector, wiring issue, or connector problem. Replacing the PCM without first checking those components often does not resolve the code.

Can a bad spark plug cause P0289?

No. P0289 is specific to the injector circuit high voltage; spark‑plug issues produce misfire codes (P030x) but do not affect the injector voltage reading.

If I swap the injector and the code moves to another cylinder, what does that mean?

It indicates the original injector is faulty (shorted internally) because the fault followed the injector to the new cylinder location.

What voltage should I expect at the injector connector when the engine is off?

With the key on and engine off, the injector control wire should read near 0 volts (ground) when the PCM is not commanding the injector; any significant voltage suggests a short to power.