P0563

System Voltage High

Charging / vehicle power Generic OBD-II High

What it means

P0563 means the ECM sees the vehicle's electrical system voltage staying above its normal range — the system is overcharging. It usually points to a faulty voltage regulator or alternator, or a bad ground that misleads the charging control. Prolonged high voltage can cook the battery and damage electronics, so have the charging system checked before driving much.

High

Can I keep driving? Short trips only — persistent overcharging can damage the battery and electronics; have the charging system checked before driving much.

Real-world scan data

Seen in

498

scans in the past year

Found in

0.1%

of scans

0.1%

of scans that found faults

Appears alongside · share of P0563 scans

P0562in 27.9% of scans

P0340in 26.7% of scans

P0336in 25.1% 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
Voltage/battery gauge reads high or fluctuates
Headlights or dash lights unusually bright, sometimes flickering
Battery runs hot, swells, or fails early from overcharging

Common causes

Most likely first

Faulty voltage regulator (usually integral to the alternator) — most commonLikely
Failing alternator overcharging the systemCommon
Poor ground or high-resistance connection fooling the regulator's sense circuitCommon
Wiring fault in the charging-system sense lineLess often
Faulty ECM/PCM voltage sensing (rare)Less often

How to diagnose & fix

Work through it in order

Measure charging voltage at the battery with the engine running — a healthy system holds roughly 13.5–14.7V; well above that confirms overcharging.
Inspect and clean the battery terminals and engine/body grounds; a bad ground is a common cause of false-high voltage.
Check the alternator sense/wiring connections for damage or corrosion.
Test the alternator and its internal voltage regulator; replace the alternator if the regulator is faulty.
Clear the code and re-measure voltage to confirm the repair.

FAQ

Quick answers

Is it safe to drive with P0563?+

Keep it short. Sustained overcharging can boil the battery and stress sensitive electronics. Get the charging voltage checked promptly.

Can I just clear P0563?+

It returns while the voltage stays high. Fix the regulator, ground, or wiring first, then clear and verify with a voltage reading.

Read & clear P0563 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