How severe is this DTC?
Any code related to the fuel system should be considered severe and treated with great urgency. Since this is a fuel shutoff code, you probably won’t have a choice.
What are some symptoms of the code?
Symptoms of a P213E diagnostic code may include:
- No start condition
- Fuel leaks
- Additional drive and fuel codes
What are some common causes of the code?
Causes of this P213E code may include:
- Fuel leak near fuel injectors or injection rail
- Faulty fuel injector
- Defective fuel pressure sensor
- Faulty fuel pressure/volume regulator
- PCM failure or PCM programming error
What are the diagnostic and troubleshooting steps for P213E?
Tools needed to diagnose a P213E code include:
- A diagnostic scanner
- A digital volt/ohmmeter
- A fuel pressure tester with adapters and fittings
- A reliable vehicle information source
Use your vehicle information source to obtain fuel system specifications and testing procedures for fuel system components. You should also find wiring diagrams, connector face views, connector pinout diagrams, and diagnostic flowcharts that will assist in your diagnosis.
You’ll need to clear this code before activating the fuel pump and performing a fuel system pressure test or leak check. Connect the scanner to the vehicle’s diagnostic connector and retrieve all stored codes and freeze frame data. Record this information in case you need it later. After that, clear the codes and try to start the engine. If possible, have one person turn the ignition key while another looks for fuel leaks near the fuel injection rail and fuel injectors. If a fuel leak is discovered, you’ve likely found the problem. Repair it and drive the vehicle until the PCM enters readiness mode or the P213E resets.
If no fuel system leak is found, use the fuel pressure tester and follow manufacturer guidelines to perform a manual fuel pressure test. You’ll need to connect the tester near the fuel injection rail. With fuel pressure test results in hand, perform appropriate repairs and retest the system.
If fuel pressure is insufficient, suspect a fuel filter or fuel pump issue.
If fuel pressure is excessive, suspect a fuel pressure regulator problem.
If fuel pressure meets specifications and no leaks are present, follow manufacturer recommendations for testing fuel pressure sensors, fuel pressure regulator, and fuel volume regulator.
- A faulty fuel injector is not necessarily the cause of this code being stored
- High-pressure diesel fuel systems should only be serviced by qualified personnel