What P0208 means
P0208 reports an electrical fault, mainly an open circuit, in the injector circuit of cylinder 8.
How the engine computer detects it
The engine module watches each injector output: GM flags an open circuit at an impedance of 200 kΩ or more – on direct injection and diesel engines in 10 of 20 or 5 of 10 samples and with the warning light in the first trip, on some port-injected engines only after two trips. Ford's port injection reads a fault bit from the driver chip that covers open, short to ground and short to voltage alike; Ford diesels report only the open circuit here and shorts as P0282/P0283. On direct injection the affected injector is switched off; the cylinder misfires.
Written from public technical sources and not yet checked by a mechanic. How we write these pages
Symptoms
- Check engine light on
- Misfire and rough running, misfire code P0308
- Loss of power, rough idle
- Limp mode possible on diesel and direct injection
Common causes
- Connector at the cylinder 8 injector loose, corroded or with a broken or pushed-back pin Most likely
- Injector coil open Possible
- Wire between module and injector open or chafed (heat, rodents) Possible
- Injector supply missing (fuse, relay) – then usually several cylinders at once Less likely
- Driver stage in the engine module faulty Less likely
How to diagnose P0208
- Read every stored code with an OBD-II scanner. If misfire or fuel trim codes are there too, fix those first: they often cause this one.
- Inspect the parts involved: fuel injector cylinder 8, injector wiring, engine control module.
- Work through the causes above from most to least likely, cheapest checks first.
- Clear the code and drive a full drive cycle to confirm the repair held.
Vehicles that report P0208 most
| Vehicle | Years | Reports | Share | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Blazer | 2020 | 3 | — |
Counts of owner complaints to the NHTSA that mention P0208 (4 in total), not failure rates: popular models get more complaints simply because more of them are on the road. Models with fewer than 3 complaints are left out.
Reading the code
- P
- Powertrain
- 0
- Generic (SAE) code
- 2
- Fuel and air metering (injector circuit)
- 08
- Specific fault
Questions drivers ask
Can I drive with code P0208?
Drive gently and only as far as you need to. The engine computer may limit power to protect the engine, so avoid highways and heavy traffic until it's fixed. If the check engine light starts flashing, pull over.
Will my car pass an emissions inspection with P0208?
Probably not in states that test vehicles with an OBD-II scan: an emissions-related code that keeps the check engine light on is usually an automatic fail. Rules differ by state and county, so check yours.
Can I fix P0208 myself?
Often yes, with an OBD-II scanner and basic tools. Difficulty: medium. Start with the cheapest checks before replacing expensive parts.
This page is general information, not a substitute for a professional diagnosis. Repair costs are rough estimates for parts and labor and vary by vehicle and region.