P0273

Cylinder 5 Injector A Circuit Low

Q: Is it safe to drive with P0273?

For short distances, but a dead or misfiring cylinder 5 can overheat the catalytic converter over time. Get it repaired promptly.

Q: Can I just clear P0273?

It will return until the injector wiring or the injector itself on cylinder 5 is fixed.

Fuel injector circuit Generic OBD-II High

What it means

P0273 means the engine controller has detected low voltage (a short to ground or an open) in the fuel injector control circuit for cylinder 5. With the circuit out of spec, that cylinder may not fire correctly, so the engine runs rough and loses power. It's an electrical fault — usually the injector wiring, connector, or the injector itself.

High

Can I keep driving? You can usually drive, but cylinder 5 may misfire and run rough. Prolonged misfiring can damage the catalytic converter, so fix it soon.

Real-world scan data

Seen in

104

scans in the past year

Found in

<0.1%

of scans

<0.1%

of scans that found faults

Appears alongside · share of P0273 scans

P0205in 94.2% of scans

P0274in 88.5% of scans

P0276in 88.5% of scans

Figures reflect only diagnostic scans recorded through our own apps and tools. Cars are typically scanned because a symptom or warning light prompted it, so these counts describe our scan records — not the incidence of faults in any model, and not the quality, reliability, or safety of any vehicle. No comparison between manufacturers or models is implied. All trademarks belong to their respective owners; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.

Common symptoms

What you'll notice

Check-engine light on
Rough idle or a steady miss from one cylinder
Reduced power and hesitation
Possible increase in fuel consumption

Common causes

Most likely first

Short to ground or open in the cylinder 5 injector wiringLikely
Failed fuel injector on cylinder 5Common
Loose or corroded injector connectorCommon
Failed injector driver in the engine control module (least likely)Less often

How to diagnose & fix

Work through it in order

Read freeze-frame data and confirm the fault is on the cylinder 5 injector circuit.
Inspect the injector connector and wiring for a short to ground, chafing, or corrosion.
Measure the injector's resistance and compare it to the other injectors.
Swap or bench-test the injector if suspect; repair wiring faults first.
If the circuit and injector are good, have the ECM's injector driver checked. Clear and re-test.

FAQ

Quick answers

Is it safe to drive with P0273?+

For short distances, but a dead or misfiring cylinder 5 can overheat the catalytic converter over time. Get it repaired promptly.

Can I just clear P0273?+

It will return until the injector wiring or the injector itself on cylinder 5 is fixed.

Read & clear P0273 yourself

Scan your car, confirm the code, and clear it once it's fixed — with OBD DashX on your phone.

▶ Get it on Google Play

✓ Verified name — SAE J2012 / ISO 15031-6Guidance reviewed by OBD DashX