Powertrain, generic · Hybrid propulsion

P0DBA Hybrid/EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit D Stuck Off

Check engine lightOn
EmissionsRelevant
Drive cycleRequired
Limp modeNo

P0DBA: circuit D refuses to bleed. Toshiba's patent US20130026994A1 lists an open balancing terminal as one of the faults a monitoring chip should report, and this is the typical root of a stuck-off result. Because no charge is taken away from the high cells in group D, the pack's top end is governed by them; the charger and the controller stop earlier and the displayed range creeps down. The fault rarely causes a sudden breakdown. CARB 13 CCR 1968.2 requires balancing to stay functional. Ford uses P0DBA in its hybrid BECM (OBD summary 2015); the stuck-off decision comes from comparing the six cells of circuit D with the pack average at power-up, 75 mV being the limit. The always-on opposite is P0DB9, the overall verdict P0DAB.

Likely causes

Open balancing terminal or cell tap in group D
Bleed resistor of circuit D open
Balancing transistor of circuit D failed open

Symptoms

  • MIL and battery warning
  • Range slowly decreasing, charging finishing early

Repair estimate

DifficultyShop_onlyWorkshop job
Parts and labour€300–4,000
Time2–8 h

Typical range across vehicles; the real cost depends on what the testing finds.

Parts involved

hv battery cell balancing circuit dbms

Related codes

P0DABP0DB8P0DB9P0DBBP0DB6

References: law.cornell.edu, patents.google.com, fordservicecontent.com.