P0169 Diagnostic Trouble Code

P0169 is a kind of OBD-II Diagnostic P-Powertrain Diagnostic Trouble Code.

It is considered generic because it applies to all makes and models of vehicles, although specific repair steps may be different depending on your car model.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a P0169 diagnostic trouble code may include:

Faulty or damaged wiring
The engine oil will exhibit dilution from the ECUs attempts to increase engine temperature. Some vehicles advance the fuel injection timing slightly after top center to afterburn a small amount of fuel to increase exhaust temperatures. Some of this fuel enters the crankcase. When the ECU determines the necessity to regenerate the DPF, the service life of the oil be shortened significantly
Poor fuel economy
The light may stay on or light intermittently as the DPF regenerates. The engine will be sluggish on acceleration.

Possible Causes :

Rough running engine due to misfiring plugs. Many engines have misfire codes to indicate the cylinder effected, such as P0307 for number 7.
Rarely - faulty Powertrain Control Module (PCM-programming required after replacement)
A large vacuum leak would cause a massive amount of un-metered air to enter the intake manifold resulting in an overly lean mixture.

Repair Processes :

Look at the plug wires to make sure they are not burnt or laying on the exhaust. Look for missing ground strap or a rusty ground where the fuel tank is grounded to the frame. Check for damage to the wiring harness connector. Check to make sure they are not burnt or corroded. If in doubt, get some Electrical Contact cleaner at any parts store if cleaning of the terminals is needed.

Process Tips

Diagnostic trouble code P0169 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 P0169.

Fortunately, P0169 is a fairly common OBD code, meaning that it applies to all makes and models of vehicles made after 1996.

P0169 Trouble Code For Specific Cars

P0169 Proton Arena Fuel Sender Circuit Failure
P0169 Sunbeam 30 Manifold Absolute Pressure/Barometric Pressure Circuit High Input
P0169 Morris Fourteen Brake Pedal Switch Circuit Malfunction
P0169 Horch V12 RF SIDE REPEATER LAMP OUTPUT Ckt Short to Battery
P0169 Plymouth Neon Evaporative Emission Control System Vent Control Circuit Open
P0169 Renault Safrane Heater System Failure
P0169 Chevrolet K-20 Dynamic Stability Control Valve LF Circuit Failure