P2206: NOx Sensor Heater Control Circuit Low Bank 1 Sensor 1
What to do
The car drives normally; the emissions monitoring does not work and the inducement countdown applies. Ask for the heater element's resistance to be measured at the sensor as well as the wiring checked, since a short inside the sensor and a damaged wire produce the same code.
What this code means
The NOx sensor heater control circuit reads below its valid range, normally a short to ground. The module shuts its output driver down rather than continue feeding a short, so the heater stops and the sensor goes blind for the reasons set out at P2205.
A heater element that has failed short internally produces this without any wiring fault, and is the more common of the two. It is worth measuring the element's resistance directly before condemning the harness — a short inside the sensor and a short in the loom look identical from the module's side.
Likely causes
Start here
- Wiring shorted to ground · moderate
- Faulty NOx sensor · moderate
Less common
- Damaged wiring harness · moderate
- Corroded or loose connector · easy
Symptoms
Components involved
Information, not instruction
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Community experience
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