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P2238

O2 Sensor Pumping Current Circuit Low (Bank 1 Sensor 1)

Pumping current at the bank 1 sensor 1 wide-band lambda probe is below the lower limit — short to ground or sensor at end of life.

  • Check engine light: Yes
  • Emissions related: Yes
  • Repair difficulty: medium

Symptoms

  • Check engine light on
  • Increased fuel consumption
  • Possible rough idle or hesitation
  • Failed emissions test

Common causes

Ordered by how often each turns out to be the cause.

  • Pump line shorted to groundCommon
  • Wide-band sensor agedPossible
  • Connector pins corroded - high contact resistanceLess likely

Parts involved

  • Oxygen Sensor Wideband
  • Oxygen Sensor Wiring

P2238 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.