C3178 Pontiac Piranha Diagnostic Trouble Code

C3178 Pontiac Piranha code definition:
C3178 is a kind of OBD-II Diagnostic C-Chassis Diagnostic Trouble Code for Pontiac Piranha.

C3178 Pontiac Piranha shows up when there's an electrical problem that causes the fuel volume regulator to malfunction and open. It's quite an unusual problem and likely intermittent. Other serious codes may cause this code to pop up, and they may come with dangerous drivability issues that may expose you to safety risks and cause damage to the engine in the long run.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a C3178 Pontiac Piranha diagnostic trouble code may include:

Fuel pressure too low
Rich or lean exhaust
Diminished fuel efficiency
The light may stay on or light intermittently as the DPF regenerates. The engine will be sluggish on acceleration.

Possible Causes :

An air leak forward of the DPF will change the sensor readings resulting in the code
Rusty exhaust systems, cracked exhaust manifolds or damaged or missing gaskets or donuts will cause air leaks.
Faulty IMRC actuator/sensor

Common Misdiagnoses

IC Circuit High Voltage Problem
Control Module Throttle Actuator Position Performance Problem
Air Conditioning (A/C) Clutch Feedback Circuit High Voltage Problem
Cruise Vehicle Speed/Set Speed Difference Too High Problem
PCM Stack Overrun Problem

Repair Processes :

You might continue by connecting the scanner to the vehicle diagnostic connector and retrieving all stored codes and freeze frame data. With the valve disconnected, the red voltmeter lead should be attached to the IMRC valve power wire and the black voltmeter lead connected to ground. If the engine displays a miss and there wasn't a code, determine which cylinder is misfiring. If the exhaust manifold is visible, spay or pour a small amount of water on each cylinder exhaust port. Water will evaporate immediately on good cylinders and slowly on the missing cylinder. If this can't be accomplished pull the plugs and check the condition.

Process Tips

Diagnostic trouble code C3178 Pontiac Piranha is not difficult to diagnose and repair. Thus, it always pays to have a qualified technician to look after your vehicle should this error code arise.

Diagnosing this code requires the engine to be in good running shape, without unmetered air entering the engine. If other codes that relates to misfiring condition, lean running or air entering the engine is present, then you must first fix those error codes before C3178 Pontiac Piranha.

Fortunately, C3178 Pontiac Piranha is a fairly common OBD code, meaning that it applies to all makes and models of vehicles made after 1996.