OBD-II Code · Body
P0560
System Voltage
Severity
medium
Worth booking. It costs fuel, emissions or comfort until it is fixed.
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)
$100–$700
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
PCM-detected system voltage out of expected range.
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
- Battery light
- Stalling under accessory load
Likely causes
- Failing alternatorMost common
- Bad battery
- Loose battery cable
- Bad ground
Read the full diagnostic procedureP0560 is a generic PCM fault meaning system voltage (battery voltage at the PCM's power pins) fell outside the expected operating range during a key-…
P0560 is a generic PCM fault meaning system voltage (battery voltage at the PCM's power pins) fell outside the expected operating range during a key-on event, either too low to maintain memory or fluctuating beyond rationality limits.
Cheapest-first
- before any alternator or PCM work, clean both battery terminals and the engine-to-chassis ground strap with a wire brush, then load-test the battery.
- A weak battery (CCA below 70 percent of rated) drops voltage under cranking to 9.0 volts or less, which the PCM logs as P0560 even though the charging system is fine.
- Measure battery voltage at the posts with key off (should be 12.4 to 12.8V), then at the PCM B+ pin with key on (should be within 0.2V of battery).
- If voltage at the PCM is more than 0.3V lower than at the battery, you have voltage drop in the power feed or the main fusible link.
- Expensive misdiagnosis: replacing the alternator or PCM when a $5 wire-brush cleaning of the negative cable would have cleared the code.
Vehicle-specific patterns2007-2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 hide corroded battery cable ends inside intact-looking insulation; the negative cable's crimp at th…
- 2007-2014Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 hide corroded battery cable ends inside intact-looking insulation; the negative cable's crimp at the engine block builds green corrosion under the jacket and drops voltage 0.5 to 1.5V under load.
- 2003-2010Ford F-150 with the 5.4L 3-valve has a TSB for the alternator's B+ stud connection corroding at the back of the alternator.
- 2005-2011Dodge Ram with the 5.7L Hemi loses ground through the engine-to-firewall strap, setting P0560 plus a constellation of false sensor codes.
- 2002-2008Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner crack the positive battery terminal where it bolts to the fusible link block, intermittent under vibration.
Estimated repair$40 to $620.
Look up another code
P0560 — frequently asked
What does a P0560 code mean?
PCM-detected system voltage out of expected range.
What causes a P0560 code?
Common causes: Failing alternator; Bad battery; Loose battery cable; Bad ground.
What are the symptoms of a P0560 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Battery light; Stalling under accessory load.
Is it safe to drive with a P0560 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: $100-$700.
How do I diagnose a P0560 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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