Powertrain (Engine & Gearbox)Standard EOBD

P0246 - Turbocharger Wastegate Solenoid A High

Q: What are the symptoms of fault code P0246?

• Check engine light (MIL) illuminated • Engine enters Limp Home Mode • Significant loss of engine power • Abnormal noises from the turbocharger or wastegate area • Emission test failure (cannot pass inspection with active MIL)

Q: What causes fault code P0246?

• Most likely: Wiring harness shorted to voltage (B+) for the wastegate solenoid • Likely: Faulty wastegate control solenoid (internal electrical short) • Possible: Damaged connectors or corrosion causing voltage tracking • Rare: Internal ECM/ECU failure

Q: How do you fix fault code P0246?

STEP 1: Visually inspect the wiring and connector for the wastegate solenoid. Look for chafed wires that may be shorted to a power source. STEP 2: Test the solenoid resistance using a multimeter (disconnected). Normal resistance is typically 10-25 Ohms depending on OEM specs. Infinity indicates open circuit, very low indicates an internal short. STEP 3: Check voltage at the connector with ignition ON. If 12V is present on the control side (ground side) when the ECU is commanding it low, there is a short to voltage in the harness. STEP 4: Use an oscilloscope or bi-directional scan tool to command the solenoid and verify the Duty-cycle (PWM) signal from the ECU. STEP 5: If the solenoid has an internal short, replace the component. Clear codes and perform a road test.

Last updated:1 February 2026

Related:Turbocharger Wastegate Solenoid, Engine Control Module (ECM), Wiring Harness, Boost Pressure Sensor

System

Powertrain (Engine & Gearbox)

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Technical Description

Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0246 is set when the Engine Control Module (ECM) detects an abnormally high voltage signal in the turbocharger wastegate solenoid 'A' circuit. This typically indicates a short to voltage (B+) condition. The solenoid is normally controlled by the ECM via Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) by switching the ground side. If the voltage feedback remains high when it should be low, the ECM flags a circuit malfunction. This prevents precise boost pressure control, often resulting in the vehicle entering limp mode to protect the engine from potential overboost conditions.

Possible Causes

Wiring harness shorted to voltage (B+) for the wastegate solenoid

Faulty wastegate control solenoid (internal electrical short)

Damaged connectors or corrosion causing voltage tracking

Internal ECM/ECU failure

Symptoms

Check engine light (MIL) illuminated

Engine enters Limp Home Mode

Significant loss of engine power

Abnormal noises from the turbocharger or wastegate area

Emission test failure (cannot pass inspection with active MIL)

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P0246 - Turbocharger Wastegate Solenoid A High

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P0246 - Turbocharger Wastegate Solenoid A High

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Do you also have other fault codes?

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