P0438
Catalyst Temperature Sensor Circuit High (Bank 2 Sensor 1)
Catalyst temperature sensor at bank 2 sensor 1 above upper plausibility — open signal or short to B+.
- Check engine light: Yes
- Emissions related: Yes
- Repair difficulty: medium
Symptoms
- Check engine light on
- Failed emissions inspection
- Possibly slightly increased fuel consumption
- Sulfur (rotten egg) smell from exhaust under load
Common causes
Ordered by how often each turns out to be the cause.
- Open signal lineCommon
- Connector pins corroded - high contact resistanceLess likely
- Supply wire pinched against B+ sourceLess likely
Parts involved
- Exhaust Temperature Sensor
P0438 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.