P0266

High Severity

Cylinder 2 Contribution/Balance

Engine System

What Does P0266 Mean?

Cylinder 2 is not contributing adequate power.

Common Fix

Repair cylinder 2 issue

Estimated Cost (DIY)

$40 - $500

Symptoms

  • ⚠️Rough idle
  • ⚠️Vibration
  • ⚠️Power loss

Related Symptoms

Common Causes

Bad injectorlikely
Low compressionpossible
Ignition faultpossible

How to Diagnose P0266

  1. 1Compression test
  2. 2Check injector
  3. 3Check spark plug and coil

OEM Diagnostic Flowchart

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Related Resources

Repair guides, symptom pages, and wiring diagrams related to P0266.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I do a compression test?
Remove the spark plug, screw in a compression gauge, crank the engine 5-7 times. Compare all cylinders — they should be within 10% of each other.
What is normal compression?
Most gasoline engines should read 125-180 PSI per cylinder. Below 100 PSI indicates a problem.

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