P0269: Cylinder 3 Contribution/Balance
Do not keep driving
Expect rough running. Ask for a compression or leak-down test if the injector tests good.
What this code means
Cylinder 3 is contributing measurably less than its neighbours. The code reports the outcome of a per-cylinder crankshaft acceleration comparison, not a specific fault — so treat it as a prompt to establish whether the weakness is fuelling or mechanical.
Likely causes
Start here
- Clogged fuel injectors · moderate
- Low engine compression · specialist
- Burnt or leaking valve · specialist
- Failed fuel injector · moderate
Less common
- Worn piston rings · specialist
- Collapsed or stuck valve lifter · specialist
Symptoms
Components involved
Information, not instruction
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Have anything you intend to act on checked by a trained person against the manufacturer's own procedure for your vehicle. Nothing here replaces that procedure.
Community experience
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What makes one worth reading:
- The car — make, model, year and engine. The same fault behaves differently on each.
- What you measured, not only what you replaced.
- What actually fixed it — or that nothing did, which is worth knowing too.
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