P0264 code: Cylinder 2 Injector Circuit Low
P0264 means cylinder 2 Injector Circuit Low. The code says where to look, not what failed — the fix depends on which cause your car actually has.
What P0264 means
The ECM drives each fuel injector individually and checks that the voltage on each control circuit behaves as expected when the injector fires. P0264 means the cylinder 2 injector circuit read lower than it should — typically a wire shorted to ground, a break in the circuit, or an injector coil that has shorted internally. Because this is a wiring-and-electronics code rather than a fuel-delivery code, it is distinct from a clogged injector, which would misfire without tripping a circuit fault. The cylinder-specific nature is your friend: compare cylinder 2's injector resistance and wiring to any other cylinder to isolate the fault fast. Expect to see P0202 (cylinder 2 injector circuit) or P0302 (cylinder 2 misfire) stored alongside it. Cylinder numbering differs across manufacturers, so verify which physical cylinder is number 2 on your engine before starting.
P0264 symptoms
- Misfire on cylinder 2, felt as roughness or shaking at idle
- Hesitation or power loss when accelerating
- Check-engine light, possibly flashing during an active misfire
- Companion codes P0202 or P0302 stored
- No noticeable symptoms if the fault is brief and intermittent
What it costs to fix P0264
Typical range: $60–$450 · 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 | $5–$50 | ~0.5–2 hrs |
Wiring fixes are cheap once the fault is located — the diagnosis is most of the labor. Injector replacement costs more, and climbs on V-type engines needing intake removal or on direct-injection engines with more expensive injectors.
The price swings on which cause it turns out to be — so confirm the cause before paying. Diagnose P0264 for my exact vehicle →
How to fix P0264
Moderate — doable at home with common tools and patience
- Identify cylinder 2 and read the freeze frame
Cylinder 2 is second from the timing end on most inline engines, but on V engines it may sit on the opposite bank from cylinder 1. Note the freeze-frame engine temperature: a low code that only sets once the engine is fully warm hints at a winding or wire that shorts when heat expands it.
- Wiggle the harness while watching live data
With the engine idling and a scan tool showing misfire counts per cylinder (or injector circuit status where available), gently flex the branch that runs to injector 2. A count that jumps for cylinder 2 as you move one section tells you where the insulation has rubbed through, often where the branch passes under an intake runner or a fuel-rail bracket.
- Measure injector 2 cold and again hot
Check resistance across injector 2 with the engine cold, then again right after a drive, comparing each time with cylinder 1 or 3. A winding that reads in line cold but falls noticeably below its neighbours when hot has a heat-related internal short, which explains a code that comes and goes.
- Isolate the wiring from the module
Battery disconnected, ECM and injector 2 unplugged, check cylinder 2's control wire for continuity to ground and to the neighbouring injector control wires. Either one means chafed wiring that needs repair; a clean open result clears the harness and leaves the injector, or less often the module driver, as the suspect.
- Confirm with a swap, then replace
Swap injector 2 with injector 3 on a port-injected engine and clear the codes. A fault that moves to P0267 condemns the injector; one that stays on cylinder 2 keeps the focus on wiring. Fit the new injector with fresh seals and confirm the misfire counters stay at zero over a full warm-up drive.
DIY or shop? Middle cylinders can be fiddly — the injector 2 connector often hides under an intake runner — but the scan-tool wiggle test, resistance checks and a swap are within reach of anyone comfortable relieving fuel pressure and lifting a rail. Call a shop when the intake has to come off to reach the harness, when the code only appears hot and you can't catch it, or when the engine is direct-injected, where high-pressure fuel and high-voltage drivers make casual testing a bad idea.
Tools for the DIY steps: Scan tool with per-cylinder misfire data · Digital multimeter · Flashlight and inspection mirror · Fuel pressure gauge with bleed valve · Injector seal kit
Not sure which step applies to your car? Get the likely cause for your exact vehicle before buying anything for P0264.
Start a case with P0264 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 P0264?
Redline can’t determine from a symptom or code alone whether your car is safe to drive.
P0264: common questions
Does P0264 mean my injector is clogged?
No — a clogged injector is a mechanical restriction and typically shows up as a misfire code alone. P0264 is the ECM reporting an electrical problem on the cylinder 2 injector circuit: low voltage from a short to ground, damaged wiring, or a failed injector coil.
How do I tell if it's the injector or the harness?
Measure the injector's resistance: if it matches its siblings, the injector is probably fine and the harness or connector is suspect. Swapping cylinder 2's injector with a neighbor is the definitive test — if the code moves to the other cylinder, the injector is bad; if it stays on cylinder 2, it's the wiring or ECM side.
Can I drive with P0264 until my appointment?
The code itself doesn't answer that. A misfiring cylinder 2 feeds raw fuel to the catalytic converter, so schedule the repair promptly. If the light starts flashing or the engine shakes badly, that misfire is actively damaging the converter — stop driving and get it towed or seen straight away.
Why did P0264 and P0302 set together?
They're describing cause and effect. P0264 flags the electrical fault on the cylinder 2 injector circuit; with the injector not firing properly, cylinder 2 misfires and P0302 sets. Repairing the circuit typically clears both.
Related trouble codes
Don’t have a scanner yet? A ~$25 Bluetooth adapter reads codes like P0264 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 P0264 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.