Powertrain, generic (extended)

P2CE3 Intake Air Heater C Circuit Low

Check engine lightOn
EmissionsRelevant
Drive cycleNot required
Limp modeNo

P2CE3 means the signal in the circuit of intake air heater C reads too low, as with the control or feedback line shorted to ground or a relay output pulled down. Volvo uses it with the suffix -11, which in the failure type scheme denotes a ground short. The August 2020 EMS change log for Volvo trucks with US17 and OBD2019 engines lists P2CE3-11 among the codes reduced by a pre-heat relay robustness update released in February 2019, and Volvo's 2020 supplementary instruction KC-15 for the pre-heat relay includes it as well. That instruction applies only from US10+OBD13 trucks onward and has relay and supply power cable replaced as a pair. P2CE4 is the high-side code, P2CE1 the open circuit; for heater A the low code is P0541.

Likely causes

Control or feedback wire of heater C chafed through to ground
Pre-heat relay with an internal fault pulling its output low
Outdated engine management software, addressed by a Volvo update
Moisture or corrosion in the relay connector creating a path to ground

Symptoms

  • Pre-heat not working, hard cold starts
  • White smoke after starting in cold weather
  • Fault lamp on the dash

Repair estimate

DifficultyMediumWorkshop job
Parts and labour€60–900
Time0.5–3 h

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

Parts involved

intake air heater cheater relaywiring harnessecm

Related codes

P2CE1P2CE2P2CE4P0541P2607

References: static.nhtsa.gov, static.nhtsa.gov, law.cornell.edu.