Powertrain, generic

P0E3D Control Pilot Indicator Control Circuit Low

Check engine lightUsually off
EmissionsNot relevant
Drive cycleNot required
Limp modeNo

P0E3D concerns the lamp or LED that shows the state of the pilot connection to the charging station, not the pilot signal itself. Low means the driver circuit reads too little voltage, typically because the line to the LED is shorted to ground. No manufacturer documents P0E3D publicly. GM's Volt tables for 2011 and 2012 (11OBDG01, 12OBDG01A) fold this case into the older open-circuit code P0D2B: a ground short is detected while the LED is commanded on, with 12 failed samples out of 15 at one sample every 100 ms, Type B. The current code set gives the ground short its own code, while P0E3E takes the short to voltage. The indicator stays dark or wrong, charging normally continues. Pilot line faults are P0CF3 and P0CF4.

Likely causes

Wire to the indicator LED shorted to ground at the charge port
Shorted LED or indicator unit
Faulty output driver in the controlling module

Symptoms

  • Pilot indicator stays dark when it should light
  • Charging itself usually unaffected

Repair estimate

DifficultyMediumWorkshop job
Parts and labour€50–400
Time0.5–2 h

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

Parts involved

control pilot indicatorwiring harness

Related codes

P0E3EP0D2BP0CF3P0CF4

References: gsi.ext.gm.com, gsi.ext.gm.com, law.cornell.edu.