P088A Diagnostic Trouble Code

P088A 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 P088A diagnostic trouble code may include:

Cherry red hot catalytic converter
Poor acceleration
The light may stay on or light intermittently as the DPF regenerates. The engine will be sluggish on acceleration.
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

Possible Causes :

Defective ECU strategies or components will prevent proper regeneration
The Mass Airflow sensor is a hot wire that senses the volume of air entering the intake manifold. The computer uses this information to control fuel mixture.
An air leak forward of the DPF will change the sensor readings resulting in the code

Repair Processes :

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. You might continue by connecting the scanner to the vehicle diagnostic connector and retrieving all stored codes and freeze frame data. Replace the oxygen sensor that is downstream from the catalytic converter on the side of the engine that does not contain cylinder #1. Also, if a oxygen sensor code stating "heater circuit malfunction" the sensor has most probably failed.

Process Tips

Diagnostic trouble code P088A 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 P088A.

Fortunately, P088A is a fairly common OBD code, meaning that it applies to all makes and models of vehicles made after 1996.

P088A Trouble Code For Specific Cars

P088A Porsche 1300 Front Echo Sensor Circuit Failure
P088A Lotus 79 Torque Converter/Brake Switch B Circuit Low
P088A Mitsubishi Concept Audio Single-Disc CD Player Internal Fault
P088A Lotus Elise Traction Control Active Lamp - Circuit Short to Battery
P088A Honda Step RESCU/VEMS Input Circuit Short to Ground
P088A Aston Martin 2-litres Air Suspension RF Height Sensor Circuit Open
P088A Peugeot 204 ECU A/D Converter