P0201: Injector Circuit / Open - Cylinder 1
Quick Answer
Safe to drive (short-term)
P0201 means the engine computer has lost electrical control of the cylinder 1 fuel injector: it sees an open circuit, a short or a resistance outside its limits on that injector's wiring. On most engines cylinder 1 sits at the crankshaft-pulley end, so that is where to start looking. A faulty connector or harness can set it just as easily as a failed injector. Wiring repairs usually cost about 65-220 EUR at a workshop, a petrol injector fitted about 100-310 EUR.
- Severity
- Moderate · Fuel System
- Estimated repair cost
- From €5 to €650+, varies by vehicle
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Get Skanyx freeWhat does P0201 mean?
P0201 is a fuel system-related diagnostic trouble code classified as moderate severity.
What are the symptoms of P0201?
- Check engine light on, flashing when the misfire is severe
- Uneven idle that feels like one cylinder has dropped out
- Stumble or flat spot when you pull away
- Noticeably weaker acceleration under load
- Fuel smell or sulphur smell at the tailpipe
- On V6 and V8 engines, a lean reading or high positive fuel trim on bank 1
What causes P0201?
Loose, corroded or broken-clip connector on the cylinder 1 injector, the one nearest the crankshaft-pulley end on most engines
: high
Chafed, heat-damaged or rodent-bitten wire in the branch of the injector harness that feeds cylinder 1
: high
Cylinder 1 injector with an open or shorted coil
: medium
Blown fuse, weak relay or poor ground on the supply the injectors share
: medium
Faulty cylinder 1 injector driver inside the engine control unit
: low
Is it safe to drive with P0201?
Generally yes, for short-term driving. You can usually drive gently to a workshop, but cylinder 1 is no longer being fuelled correctly. An open circuit leaves it without fuel, while a control wire shorted to ground can hold the injector open and flood it. Either way the catalytic converter takes the damage, so keep the load low and stop if the check engine light starts flashing.
How do you diagnose P0201?
- Read the code and its freeze frame with Skanyx, then check which other codes are stored: P0301 (cylinder 1 misfire), P0261 or P0262 (cylinder 1 injector circuit low or high) and P0200 (injector circuit general) each change where you look next
- Find cylinder 1 before you unplug anything. On most engines it is at the crankshaft-pulley end, which on a transverse engine is the end away from the gearbox. Peugeot and Citroen engines have traditionally numbered from the flywheel end instead, so confirm with the service information for your engine
- Follow the injector harness to the first connector at that end. Check the locking clip, look for green corrosion or pushed-back pins, and inspect the branch where it leaves the main loom for chafing against brackets or the cam cover
- With the ignition off and the connector unplugged, measure across the two injector pins. Port-injection petrol injectors typically read about 12-17 ohms, while direct-injection and diesel injectors use much lower values, so compare against the figure for your engine
- Measure again from the ECU connector pin for injector 1 so the reading includes the harness. A good injector at the plug but an open reading at the ECU pin points to the wiring between them
- Swap injector 1 with injector 2, its neighbour on the same rail, clear the code and drive. If the fault moves to P0202 the injector is faulty; if P0201 comes back the wiring or ECU driver is the problem. Direct-injection injectors need new PTFE combustion seals every time they come out
- On common-rail diesels do not swap injectors without re-entering each injector's correction code (IMA, IQA or C2i) for its new position. That coding, and per-injector balance values, are outside generic OBD2 and need a brand tool such as Carly, OBDeleven or XENTRY, or a workshop
How much does P0201 cost to fix?
| Repair | Parts Cost | Labor Cost | Total Estimate | DIY Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repair cylinder 1 connector or wiring (DIY) | €5–€30 | €0–€0 | €5–€30 | Moderate |
| Trace and repair cylinder 1 circuit (shop) | €5–€40 | €60–€180 | €65–€220 | Professional |
| Replace cylinder 1 injector - petrol (shop) | €40–€150 | €60–€160 | €100–€310 | Moderate |
| Replace cylinder 1 injector - diesel common-rail (shop) | €150–€400 | €100–€250 | €250–€650 | Professional |
Prices estimated as of October 2026. Costs vary by region, vehicle, and shop.
Engines known for this code
P0201 on specific vehicles
P0201 on Volkswagen
Volkswagen Golf
P0201 on BMW
BMW 3 Series
P0201 on Ford
Ford Focus
P0201 on Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes C-Class
Related diagnostic codes
Common questions about P0201
- Where is cylinder 1 on my engine?
- On most engines cylinder 1 is at the end with the crankshaft pulley, usually also the timing-cover end, and the numbering runs towards the gearbox. On a transverse engine that is the end furthest from the gearbox. Peugeot and Citroen engines are the well-known exception and have traditionally put cylinder 1 at the flywheel end, so check the service information for your engine before you unplug anything.
- Which bank is cylinder 1 on a V6 or V8?
- Always bank 1, because bank 1 is defined as the bank that contains cylinder 1. That is why a lean code or high fuel trim that comes with P0201 on a V engine shows up as bank 1, for example P0171 rather than P0174.
- Can I swap the cylinder 1 injector with cylinder 2 to test it?
- On a petrol port-injection engine, yes: swap injectors 1 and 2, clear the code and drive. If the code changes to P0202 the injector is faulty. On direct-injection petrol engines fit new combustion seals when you refit them, and on common-rail diesels leave the swap to a workshop that can re-enter the injector correction codes.
- Why do P0201 and P0301 show up together?
- P0201 reports the electrical fault and P0301 reports its effect. When the injector on cylinder 1 stops working, that cylinder stops producing power and the misfire monitor counts it. Fix the injector circuit first, then clear both codes and check whether P0301 returns.
- Does P0201 mean I need a new injector?
- Not until you have tested it. P0201 only says the circuit is out of range, and a corroded connector or a damaged wire at cylinder 1 can set it just as easily as a failed injector. A resistance check at the injector and again at the ECU pin tells you which part of the circuit has failed.
- Can I drive with P0201?
- Only gently and only as far as a workshop. With cylinder 1 not fuelled correctly the engine runs rough, and a flashing check engine light means the catalytic converter is overheating. Replacing a converter costs far more than repairing an injector circuit.