P0282
Cylinder 8 Injector Circuit LowP0282 is a generic OBD-II powertrain diagnostic trouble code: Cylinder 8 Injector Circuit Low. It is logged by the engine control unit when the fuel/inj monitor detects that a specific fault threshold has been exceeded — typically resulting in the malfunction-indicator lamp (MIL / check-engine light) being illuminated.
What P0282 means
P0282 — Cylinder 8 Injector Circuit Low — is set when the ECM detects that the voltage or current on the cylinder 8 fuel injector control circuit is below the expected operating range. This is typically caused by an open circuit, a short to ground, or excessive resistance in the injector wiring. Because cylinder 8 only exists in V8, V10, V12, and I8 engine configurations, P0282 cannot be triggered by four- or six-cylinder engines.
The injector driver circuit operates by applying a pulsed ground through the ECM's internal driver transistor. A low-circuit reading means the ECM is unable to pull the circuit to ground — or the voltage sensed on the control line is lower than expected — indicating a break in the supply side, an open injector solenoid coil, or a failed ECM driver stage. A corroded or disconnected injector harness connector is among the most frequent physical causes.
A cylinder 8 injector circuit low fault prevents normal fuel delivery to that bore, resulting in a dead cylinder condition and its associated misfire. If left unrepaired, the raw fuel entering the exhaust can rapidly destroy an expensive catalytic converter, and the corresponding combustion imbalance accelerates wear on adjacent engine components. Timely diagnosis is essential.
Common causes
Most-frequently reported root causes when P0282 is logged.
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1
Open circuit in the wiring harness between the ECM and the cylinder 8 injector connector.
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2
Short to ground in the cylinder 8 injector control wire pulling the circuit voltage below threshold.
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3
Broken, corroded, or disconnected connector at the cylinder 8 fuel injector.
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4
Failed or open-coil fuel injector on cylinder 8 presenting infinite resistance to the ECM driver.
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5
Chafed or damaged injector wiring contacting the engine block or chassis ground.
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6
Failed ECM internal driver transistor for cylinder 8 unable to complete the ground circuit.
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7
Contaminated or clogged injector causing erratic electrical behavior alongside flow restriction.
Symptoms drivers notice
How to diagnose P0282
A typical diagnostic flow when this code is present.
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1
Connect an OBD-II scanner, record all DTCs including any companion misfire codes, and note freeze-frame conditions at fault set.
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2
Visually inspect the cylinder 8 injector harness connector and wiring for broken pins, corrosion, melted insulation, or physical damage; repair any defects before further testing.
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3
Measure injector solenoid resistance with a multimeter (typical spec: 12–18 Ω for port injectors, 0.5–2 Ω for GDI injectors); an open reading (infinite resistance) confirms a failed injector coil.
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4
Check for continuity and absence of shorts to ground through the injector control wiring back to the ECM harness connector.
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5
Perform a voltage drop test with the engine cranking to verify the ECM driver is outputting the expected pulsed ground signal on the cylinder 8 control wire.
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6
Swap the cylinder 8 injector with a known-good unit from another cylinder and recheck; if the fault follows the injector, replace it.
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7
If wiring and injector test good, inspect ECM connector pins for corrosion and check for available software updates before replacing the ECM.
Related powertrain codes
- P0065 — Air Assisted Injector Control Range/Performance
- P0066 — Air Assisted Injector Control Circuit or Circuit Low
- P0067 — Air Assisted Injector Control Circuit High
- P0087 — Fuel Rail/System Pressure - Too Low
- P0088 — Fuel Rail/System Pressure - Too High
- P0089 — Fuel Pressure Regulator 1 Performance
Frequently asked questions
Can P0282 occur on a six-cylinder engine?
No. Cylinder 8 is only present in V8, V10, V12, and I8 engine configurations. Six-cylinder and four-cylinder engines cannot generate this code.
What is the difference between P0282 (Circuit Low) and P0283 (Circuit High) for cylinder 8?
P0282 indicates the injector circuit voltage or current is below specification — typically caused by an open circuit, short to ground, or a disconnected/failed injector. P0283 indicates the circuit is above specification — usually caused by a short to power in the wiring or a failed ECM driver transistor holding the line high.
How urgent is a P0282 repair?
It is fairly urgent. A non-firing cylinder 8 sends raw fuel into the exhaust system on every intake stroke, which can overheat and melt the catalytic converter substrate within a short mileage. The engine will also run rough and lose significant power on V8 platforms where each cylinder contributes 12.5% of total output.
Will clearing the code fix the problem?
No. Clearing the code only extinguishes the MIL temporarily. The underlying circuit or component fault remains and the code will return immediately or as soon as the ECM completes its diagnostic cycle on the next drive.
Disabling P0282 in software
RaceTune can permanently disable P0282 — and any other OBD-II diagnostic trouble code — on every ECU family we support. The monitor is disabled inside the ECU itself, so the fault stops being logged: the warning light stays off and the engine never enters limp mode for this code. The change is tied to your exact software version.
Software modifications affect emissions compliance and are not road-legal in many jurisdictions. RaceTune service files are intended for motorsport, off-road, and export use.
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