OBD-II Code · Fuel & Air
P0230
Fuel Pump Primary Circuit
Severity
high
Left alone, this one tends to take other parts with it.
Can you drive it
Not for long
Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it.
Indicative cost (USD)
$100–$500
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
Fuel pump relay/driver circuit fault.
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
- No start
- Stall
- Check engine light
Likely causes
- Failed fuel pump relayMost common
- Wiring to pump
- Failed PCM driver
Read the full diagnostic procedureP0230 is the fuel pump primary circuit fault, meaning the ECM detected an electrical problem in the control circuit between itself and the fuel pump…
P0230 is the fuel pump primary circuit fault, meaning the ECM detected an electrical problem in the control circuit between itself and the fuel pump relay or driver module.
Cheapest first
- with the key on, listen for the fuel pump to prime for 2 to 3 seconds; silence is a strong indicator.
- Check the fuel pump fuse and relay (still found on most pre-2010 vehicles), and swap the relay with an identical one in the box to test.
- Measure fuel pump current draw with an inductive amp clamp on the pump's positive wire: a healthy in-tank pump pulls 4 to 7 amps continuously, a dying pump pulls 9 to 12 amps, and an open circuit pulls zero.
- Back-probe the pump connector and verify battery voltage on the supply pin and good ground on the return pin during the prime cycle.
- On later vehicles with a fuel pump driver module (FPDM) or fuel pump control module (FPCM), scope the pulse-width-modulated control signal from the ECM to the module; a flat-line means the driver module or its wiring is the issue.
- Caveat: a fuel pump that runs but pulls excessive current can set P0230 by tripping the ECM's overcurrent protection, even though the pump appears to work.
Vehicle-specific patternsFord F-150 and Expedition 5.4L (2004-2010) is the poster child for FPDM failure causing P0230, with the module mounted above the rear axle where road…
- 2004-2010Ford F-150 and Expedition 5.4L is the poster child for FPDM failure causing P0230, with the module mounted above the rear axle where road spray rots it. GM full-size trucks 4.8/5.3/6.0L (1999-2007 Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe) sees P0230 from a corroded fuel pump driver module or chafed wiring at the frame rail.
- 2002-2008Dodge Ram 1500 sets P0230 from a failed totally-integrated power module (TIPM) fuel pump relay, addressed in Chrysler TSB 08-067-13 with a TIPM replacement program.
- 2011-2019Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 sees P0230 from TIPM internal relay failure.
Estimated repair$40 to $1,200.
Look up another code
P0230 — frequently asked
What does a P0230 code mean?
Fuel pump relay/driver circuit fault.
What causes a P0230 code?
Common causes: Failed fuel pump relay; Wiring to pump; Failed PCM driver.
What are the symptoms of a P0230 code?
Typical symptoms: No start; Stall; Check engine light.
Is it safe to drive with a P0230 code?
Not for long. Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it. Estimated repair: $100-$500.
How do I diagnose a P0230 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.
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