OBD-II Code · Sensors
P0182
Fuel Temperature Sensor "A" Circuit Low
Severity
low
Lowest on our scale. Fix it when convenient.
Can you drive it
Only if running normally
A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety.
Indicative cost (USD)
$80–$300
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
Fuel temperature sensor reading abnormally low (cold). Most common on diesel.
How a shop works this
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.
Note every code that is set, not just this one.
Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.
Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.
Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.
Confirm the fault is current rather than history.
Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.
Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
That order is what a shop checks first for this code — wiring and connections before the component they run to, because a connector costs nothing to inspect and is a common answer.
If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.
Common symptoms
- Check engine light
- Hard starting
- Smoky exhaust on diesel
Likely causes
- Failed fuel temp sensorMost common
- Wiring short to ground
- Connector corrosion
Read the full diagnostic procedureP0182 means the fuel temperature sensor A signal voltage has dropped below the low threshold (typically under 0.2V), which on an NTC thermistor maps…
P0182 means the fuel temperature sensor A signal voltage has dropped below the low threshold (typically under 0.2V), which on an NTC thermistor maps to an impossibly hot fuel temperature reading — the ECM interprets it as either a shorted-to-ground signal wire or an internally shorted sensor element. Normal fuel temp sits in the 60-200F range with the sensor voltage moving from roughly 3.0V cold to roughly 0.8V hot; a voltage stuck near 0V at all conditions means the signal element has shorted internally, the signal wire is shorted to chassis ground somewhere along the harness, or the connector is bridged with fuel/water contamination.
Cheapest-first ladder
- unplug the sensor connector with the key on and watch the scan tool — a healthy ECM circuit should bias the signal wire to 4.8-5.0V (which the ECM reads as -40F, the open-circuit fault end); if the voltage stays near 0V with the sensor unplugged, the signal wire is shorted to ground between the connector and the ECM and needs continuity testing pin-to-pin against chassis.
- If the voltage rises to 5V with the sensor unplugged, the sensor itself is shorted internally and a new sensor (or pump module if integrated) clears it.
- Verify the sensor ground returns to chassis under 0.1V drop.
- Expensive-misdiagnosis caveat: a fuel-soaked connector will conduct between pins and mimic a shorted sensor identically — the fuel itself bridges the signal-to-ground gap; always pull the connector, blow it dry, dielectric-grease the pins, and re-test before condemning the sensor.
Vehicle-specific patterns2004-2010 Ford F-150 FFV with the 4.6L/5.4L flex-fuel and Explorer FFV throws P0182 from the in-tank fuel-temp sensor element shorting internally aft…
- 2004-2010Ford F-150 FFV with the 4.6L/5.4L flex-fuel and Explorer FFV throws P0182 from the in-tank fuel-temp sensor element shorting internally after E85 corrosion attacks the sender housing; the fix is the full fuel-pump module.
- 2008-2014RAM 2500/3500 6.7L Cummins throws P0182 from harness chafe at the fuel-rail bracket where the signal wire grounds against the frame.
- 2006-2012GM Impala FFV / Tahoe FFV throws P0182 from connector flooding at the tank-mounted sensor (rainwater infiltration past a worn grommet).
- 2005-2010Chrysler Sebring FFV with the 2.7L throws P0182 from internal sensor failure after long-term E85 duty.
Estimated repair$120 to $750.
Look up another code
P0182 — frequently asked
What does a P0182 code mean?
Fuel temperature sensor reading abnormally low (cold). Most common on diesel.
What causes a P0182 code?
Common causes: Failed fuel temp sensor; Wiring short to ground; Connector corrosion.
What are the symptoms of a P0182 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Hard starting; Smoky exhaust on diesel.
Is it safe to drive with a P0182 code?
Only if running normally. A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety. Estimated repair: $80-$300.
How do I diagnose a P0182 code?
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed. 1. Note every code that is set, not just this one. 2. Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under. 3. Confirm the fault is current rather than history. 4. Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
More free tools