What P06DB means
A switchable or variable oil pump saves fuel by lowering its output at part load; a solenoid valve sets the stage.
How the engine computer detects it
GM and Ford design it so the pump runs at full output, i.e. high pressure, when the valve is unpowered – the safe default – and at the low stage when powered. P06DB means the control wire behind the valve is shorted to ground. With a low-side driver the valve is then powered all the time, so the pump stays at the low stage even at high load and speed. That endangers the engine, so GM flags a short below 0.5 Ω after just one trip, unlike open circuit and short to positive. GM checks the low-side driver at 11 V or more relay voltage over 40 of 50 samples (100 ms); Ford's smart driver reports output faults after 5 s with the battery at 11 V or more. A short to positive is P06DC, a pump stuck at low pressure without a circuit fault P06DE.
Written from public technical sources and not yet checked by a mechanic. How we write these pages
Symptoms
- Check engine light at once (GM after one trip)
- Low oil pressure at high engine speed, possibly oil pressure warning
- Possibly reduced power
Common causes
- Control wire chafing against ground (engine block, oil pan) Most likely
- Control valve shorted internally Possible
- Oil or moisture in the connector Possible
- Engine module driver stage Less likely
How to diagnose P06DB
- 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: oil pump control valve, oil pump control circuit, 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 P06DB most
| Vehicle | Years | Reports | Share | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Volt | 2016–2018 | 4 | — |
Counts of owner complaints to the NHTSA that mention P06DB (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
- 6
- Computer and output circuits
- DB
- Specific fault
Questions drivers ask
Can I drive with code P06DB?
Check the oil level before driving. This code can be a faulty sensor or control circuit, but you can't rule out real low oil pressure from the code alone. If the oil pressure warning light comes on, the engine starts ticking or knocking, or the oil is low, don't drive: have it towed.
Often reported together
Codes that owners mention in the same NHTSA complaints as P06DB. They can point to a shared cause, so it's worth checking them together.
- P0030HO2S Heater Control Circuit (Bank 1 Sensor 1)4 complaints
- P0031HO2S Heater Control Circuit Low (Bank 1 Sensor 1)4 complaints
- P0135O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 14 complaints
- P0443EVAP System Purge Control Valve A Circuit4 complaints
- P0458EVAP System Purge Control Valve A Circuit Low4 complaints
- P0489EGR A Control Circuit Low4 complaints
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.