P0205 code: Injector Circuit/Open - Cylinder 5
P0205 means injector Circuit/Open - Cylinder 5. The code says where to look, not what failed — the fix depends on which cause your car actually has.
What P0205 means
When the engine computer commands the cylinder 5 injector to open, it monitors the circuit's voltage and current for the expected signature. P0205 records that the signature was wrong — the circuit was open, shorted, or showed out-of-range resistance. That distinction matters for diagnosis: this is an electrical fault, not a clogged injector, so cleaning additives won't touch it. Cylinder 5 only exists on engines with five or more cylinders — inline-fives, V6s, V8s, and larger. The realistic causes are a corroded or unplugged injector connector, harness wiring that has rubbed through, or an injector whose internal coil winding has opened or shorted; a failed driver inside the engine computer is the rare exception. With cylinder 5 starved of fuel, the paired misfire code P0305 usually sets too.
P0205 symptoms
- Persistent misfire on cylinder 5, typically with P0305 alongside
- Rough or lumpy idle
- Reduced power — the engine feels like it's dragging a dead cylinder
- Check-engine light, possibly flashing during the misfire
- Hard starting in some cases
What it costs to fix P0205
Typical range: $80–$550 · about ~0.5–2 hrs of labor
| If the cause is… | Part | Labor |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel injector (single) | $50–$300 | ~0.5–2 hrs |
| Wiring / connector repair | $10–$60 | ~0.5–1.5 hrs |
Cylinder 5 lives on larger engines, and many V6s and V8s tuck their injectors under the intake manifold — when the manifold has to come off, labor climbs well past the simple-access figure. Ranges assume common gasoline port or direct injection; diesel injectors are far more expensive.
The price swings on which cause it turns out to be — so confirm the cause before paying. Diagnose P0205 for my exact vehicle →
How to fix P0205
Moderate — doable at home with common tools and patience
- Identify where cylinder 5 sits on your engine
Cylinder 5 exists on inline-fives, V6s, V8s and larger. On an inline-five it is the last cylinder at the flywheel end; on a transverse V6 it may be on the firewall side or at the front, depending on how the maker numbers the cylinders. Confirm on a diagram, because the whole access plan depends on it.
- Reach the connector before pulling parts
Where injector 5 hides under the upper intake, its connector can often be reached by feel or seen with a mirror even when the injector can't. Make sure it's latched and not soaked in oil from a leaking valve-cover gasket — oil wicks into terminals and causes intermittent opens.
- Test the winding and its wire in one reading
With the computer connector unplugged, measure from its injector 5 control pin to the injector feed source per the wiring diagram. A reading that matches the injector's own resistance proves the winding and the wire together; an open points to either, and unplugging the injector tells you which.
- Run an injector kill test if your scan tool can
Bidirectional scan tools can shut injectors off one at a time. Killing a healthy injector drops the idle; killing injector 5 with no change confirms that cylinder is already dead — useful proof before you commit to removing the intake to reach it.
- Replace the injector or repair the harness
An out-of-spec winding means a new injector; at a rear-bank V6 position that usually means lifting the upper intake, so renew the gaskets you disturb and torque them per the service manual. A good injector with a broken control wire calls for a harness repair, and the engine computer's driver comes last.
DIY or shop? When cylinder 5 is on an inline engine or the front bank of a V6, the connector checks, resistance tests, and injector swap are within reach of a careful home mechanic. If it sits under the upper intake at the firewall, the job grows: plenum gaskets, bolt tightening order, and vacuum lines all have to go back right. Direct-injection injectors need special tools and seals, and a replacement engine computer needs programming — both belong at a shop.
Tools for the DIY steps: Digital multimeter · Wiring diagram for your engine · Bidirectional scan tool · Inspection mirror · Torque wrench
Not sure which step applies to your car? Get the likely cause for your exact vehicle before buying anything for P0205.
Start a case with P0205 and your car. Redline weighs these causes against what your car shows, and names the check that would settle it before you buy parts.
Can I drive with P0205?
Redline can’t determine from a symptom or code alone whether your car is safe to drive.
P0205: common questions
Can I test the cylinder 5 injector at home?
You can, with a basic multimeter. Unplug the injector connector and measure resistance across the injector's two pins, then compare against another cylinder on the same engine — they should read close to identical. An open reading or a big mismatch condemns the injector; a normal reading points at the wiring or connector.
Is driving with P0205 risky?
A code alone can't settle that. The misfiring cylinder feeds raw fuel to the catalytic converter, which doesn't tolerate that for long, so get it repaired within days. A flashing check-engine light means stop driving.
Where is cylinder 5?
It depends entirely on your engine's numbering scheme, which varies by manufacturer. On many V6s and V8s cylinder 5 is mid-bank on one side, but conventions differ, so check the layout diagram for your specific engine rather than guessing.
How much will the repair run?
A connector or wiring fix is inexpensive. An injector replacement is a moderate part cost plus labor that ranges from half an hour on easy-access engines to two hours or more where the intake manifold must be removed — common on the V engines that have a cylinder 5.
Related trouble codes
Don’t have a scanner yet? A ~$25 Bluetooth adapter reads codes like P0205 from your phone. See our guide to the best OBD2 Bluetooth adapters. Run a repair shop? See Redline for shops.
Generic OBD-II reference. Manufacturer-specific behavior varies. Confirm with a scan tool and, for safety-related codes, a professional inspection. Cost ranges are reference ranges, not quotes.
Seeing P0205 on your car?
Every problem becomes a Case. Tell Redline what the car is doing: it shows what the evidence supports, what’s still missing, and what to check next, before you approve a repair.
“Inner pad ~1 mm. Outer pad 3 mm.”
Next: check the slide pins move freely before buying parts.