C0538
Motor Control B Circuit Low
Motor Control B Circuit Low: the signal voltage is below the expected range. Often a short to ground or high resistance in the wiring.
- Check engine light: Yes
- Emissions related: No
- Repair difficulty: medium
Symptoms
- ABS warning light on
- ESC/stability control deactivated
- Possible reduced brake assist
- Speedometer may behave erratically
Common causes
Ordered by how often each turns out to be the cause.
- Wiring shorted to groundCommon
- Connector pins corroded - high contact resistanceLess likely
- Harness chafing through insulationLess likely
Parts involved
- Chassis Motor B
- Motor Wiring
C0538 is a generic OBD-II code defined by SAE J2012. Exact wording and diagnostic procedure vary by manufacturer and model. Code definitions are drawn from the public-domain OBDex dataset; the workshop notes are our own.