Does P0267 mean the injector is dead?

Not necessarily. It means the circuit is being pulled low. That can be a shorted injector, but it is just as often a chafed wire or a contaminated connector, which are far cheaper to fix.

Why does the fuse keep blowing?

Because the underlying short is still there. The fuse blows to protect the circuit. Find and repair the short to earth first, then fit a new fuse of the correct rating.

Can I just swap the injector?

Only if testing points to the injector. If the short is in the wiring, a new injector will not help and the code will return as soon as the circuit is reconnected.

Is P0267 an emissions fault?

Indirectly. The misfire it causes raises emissions and can damage the catalyst, so it will fail an MOT and should be treated as emissions-relevant.

How long does diagnosis take?

A clear chafe or wet connector can be found in under an hour. A buried, intermittent short can take much longer because it may only appear when the loom is hot or moving.

Could a previous repair have caused this?

Yes. A pinched loom after engine work, or an incorrectly specified injector, can both trigger P0267, so it is worth recalling any recent work in that area.

P0267 - Cylinder 3 Injector Circuit Low

What Is P0267?

P0267 indicates the ECU has seen the cylinder 3 injector control circuit pulled abnormally low - in effect a short to earth or a low-voltage condition. The expected switching signal collapses, so the ECU records the fault and may disable the injector to protect itself.

With cylinder 3's injector compromised the engine misfires and runs roughly. A genuine short can also blow the injector fuse or stress the ECU, so this is not a code to leave active while you decide what to do.

Common Symptoms

Cylinder 3 misfire and uneven running
Warning light, sometimes flashing under load
Hesitation and poor throttle response
Occasional blown injector fuse
Fuel odour if the injector hangs open
Reduced economy

Common Causes

Chafed control wire - insulation worn through to earth on the cylinder 3 branch, the leading cause.

Shorted injector coil - an internal short within the injector pulling the circuit low.

Connector contamination - oil or water bridging the pins to earth.

Trapped loom - the harness crushed against a sharp edge or under a heat shield.

Failed ECU stage - a shorted low-side driver in the ECU, relatively rare.

Incorrect injector - an injector of the wrong resistance fitted at a previous repair.

How to Diagnose P0267

Confirm the Code Pattern

Read live data with the key on and engine off. A circuit-low fault on cylinder 3 typically reports immediately, before the injector even fires, which separates it from a misfire-only fault.

Trace the Cylinder 3 Wire

Inspect the harness branch to cylinder 3 for rubbing, melting, or pinch points against the head and brackets. Earthing here is the usual reason for P0267.

Measure Pin-to-Earth Resistance

Disconnect the injector and check from each control pin to earth. A low resistance reading confirms a short; a high reading sends you to the injector instead.

Compare Injector Resistances

Ohm all the injectors. If cylinder 3 reads noticeably lower than the rest, the solenoid has shorted internally and the injector needs replacing.

Dry and Inspect the Connector

Open the connector, look for corrosion or moisture, clean and reseal it. Damp or oily connectors are a frequent cause of low-circuit faults that come and go.

Separate Harness From ECU

With the injector out of circuit, a remaining short to earth confirms harness damage. Only consider the ECU after the wiring and injector both test correctly.

Protect the Control ModuleA short to earth on the injector circuit can cook the ECU's driver if left active. Avoid prolonged cranking and driving until the short is found, to keep a wiring fault from becoming an ECU fault.

Verdict

P0267 is a short-circuit code, so chase the wiring first. Look for chafing on the cylinder 3 branch and test for a short to earth, then check the injector for an internal short. Leave the ECU until last once everything else checks out.

Want the full picture? The OBD Fault Code Plain English Guide (PDF) covers the most common UK fault codes in one plain-English download.