P26C3 Mercury Grand Diagnostic Trouble Code

P26C3 Mercury Grand code definition:
P26C3 is a kind of OBD-II Diagnostic P-Powertrain Diagnostic Trouble Code for Mercury Grand.

P26C3 Mercury Grand is a DTC or a diagnostic trouble code. It is a check engine light code which indicates that the catalyst's system efficiency is less than the required threshold. In simple terms, it means that more pollution is added into the air than what was supposed to be because of your car. There are two wires dedicated for each coil; one is battery feed which usually comes from the distribution center, and the other one for the coil driver circuit from the PCM. The PCM grounds or ungrounds the circuit to activate or deactivate the coil.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a P26C3 Mercury Grand diagnostic trouble code may include:

Carbon Buildup on O2 Sensor
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
Hesitation upon acceleration
If the DPF is not cleared the ECU will revert to the "Limp Home Mode" until the situation is corrected

Possible Causes :

Fuel with a large percentage of sulfur will clog the DPF quickly
The Mass Airflow sensor will also cause this problem. Mass Airflow circuit malfunction.
Some aftermarket accessories and performance modifications

Common Misdiagnoses

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
Kick-Down Switch Failed Short Problem
Park/Neutral Postion (PNP) Switch Circuit Engine Torque Signal Circuit Problem

Repair Processes :

Find out what kind of system you have and verify that voltage to the fuel level sensor is present at the fuel pump wiring harness. You might continue by connecting the scanner to the vehicle diagnostic connector and retrieving all stored codes and freeze frame data.

Process Tips

Diagnostic trouble code P26C3 Mercury Grand 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 P26C3 Mercury Grand.

Fortunately, P26C3 Mercury Grand is a fairly common OBD code, meaning that it applies to all makes and models of vehicles made after 1996.