P0280

Cylinder 7 Injector A Circuit High

Q: Is it safe to drive with P0280?

Briefly — but a dead or misfiring cylinder 7 dumps raw fuel into the exhaust and can overheat the catalytic converter. Repair it promptly.

Q: Can I just clear P0280?

It comes back as soon as the ECM commands the injector and sees the circuit still open. The wiring or injector must be fixed.

Fuel injection Generic OBD-II High

What it means

P0280 means the ECM sees high voltage (an open or high resistance) in cylinder 7's injector control circuit. When the injector can't fire properly, cylinder 7 misfires and the engine runs rough and down on power. This is an electrical fault in one injector's wiring, connector, or coil — not a fuel-pressure problem — so the engine still starts, just unevenly.

High

Can I keep driving? Usually drivable but rough — cylinder 7 may misfire and lose power. Prolonged misfiring can damage the converter, so don't put off the repair.

Real-world scan data

Seen in

scans in the past year

Found in

<0.1%

of scans

<0.1%

of scans that found faults

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
Misfire or rough running from cylinder 7
Rough idle
Reduced power and hesitation

Common causes

Most likely first

Open or high-resistance wiring in the cylinder 7 injector circuitLikely
Loose or corroded injector connectorCommon
Failed cylinder 7 injector (open coil)Common
Faulty ECM injector driver (rare)Less often

How to diagnose & fix

Work through it in order

Read freeze-frame data and confirm the fault is on cylinder 7's injector circuit.
Inspect the injector connector and wiring for opens, corrosion, or backed-out pins.
Measure the injector coil resistance and compare with the other injectors.
Check for the driver signal at the ECM connector; repair the open in the circuit.
Replace the injector if its coil is open with good wiring; suspect the ECM driver last.

FAQ

Quick answers

Is it safe to drive with P0280?+

Briefly — but a dead or misfiring cylinder 7 dumps raw fuel into the exhaust and can overheat the catalytic converter. Repair it promptly.

Can I just clear P0280?+

It comes back as soon as the ECM commands the injector and sees the circuit still open. The wiring or injector must be fixed.

Read & clear P0280 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