What it means
The piston-cooling oil-jet control circuit reads stuck low — short to ground or low-side driver stuck on. The jets may be enabled continuously, raising oil pump load and lowering oil pressure to other consumers.
At a glance
- Usually lights the check-engine light
How it works
The piston-cooling oil control solenoid regulates oil jets that help cool the undersides of the pistons. This code sets when the solenoid control circuit reads too low, such as from a short to ground; depending on the system, the jets may stay enabled and add load to the oil pump.
Common causes
Most likely first.
- Control wire shorted to ground
- Connector pins corroded - high contact resistance
- Harness chafing through insulation
Symptoms
- Check-engine light may come on
- Oil-pressure warning light may appear
- Engine may show low oil pressure or unusual engine noise
How to diagnose it
- Record freeze-frame data and check for oil-pressure warnings, low-pressure codes, or unusual engine noise before further running.
- Inspect the oil-control solenoid connector and harness for chafing, water ingress, corrosion, and pushed-back pins.
- Observe commanded solenoid state and circuit status on a scan tool to see whether the low reading persists when the solenoid should be off.
- Check the control wire for a short to ground and inspect the solenoid and connector for unintended continuity.
- Test the solenoid driver and circuit against the manufacturer's specification, and verify actual oil pressure with the approved method if symptoms indicate low pressure.
Common fixes
- Repair a control wire shorted to ground and secure the harness away from rubbing points.
- Clean or repair corroded or damaged solenoid connector terminals.
- Replace a faulty piston-cooling oil-control solenoid if it is shorted.
- Repair the control module driver only if circuit testing confirms its failure.
Can I keep driving?
If the oil-pressure warning is on or the engine is making unusual noise, stop the engine as soon as it is safe; continued running can cause severe engine damage. Without those symptoms, avoid heavy-load driving and arrange prompt diagnosis because the oil circuit may be operating abnormally.
A code shows where the control module detected a fault, not always which part failed. Check the causes in order and confirm with a test before replacing parts. Have several codes? Check them together
This is a generic code: it means the same on every make. The car’s maker may add more detail in its own service information.