Powertrain, generic (extended)

P2EA3 Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor Circuit Low Bank 1 Sensor 6

Check engine lightOn
EmissionsRelevant
Drive cycleNot required
Limp modeNo

With P2EA3 the input of the sixth bank 1 exhaust probe drops below the lowest value a healthy circuit can deliver. Electrically this is nearly always a short: the signal wire touching ground or the exhaust, or an element whose insulation has broken down. What the module displays differs by type, as Hella explains for divider circuits: a shorted NTC probe looks red hot, a shorted platinum (PTC) probe looks frozen. No manufacturer documents P2EA3; GM's code P2481 for probe 5 serves as a guide, set below 1 Ω or, with a digital thermocouple, colder than about −73 °C in 19 of 25 samples as Type B, i.e. MIL after two trips. A wrong low value can mislead the module about exhaust heat, so regeneration or SCR dosing may be held back.

Likely causes

Signal wire chafed through to ground or to the exhaust pipe
Probe with internal short after thermal or mechanical damage
Water or road salt bridging the connector pins

Symptoms

  • Check engine lamp after the second faulty trip
  • Probe 6 reads far too hot or far too cold depending on type
  • Regeneration or SCR dosing held back

Repair estimate

DifficultyMediumWorkshop job
Parts and labour€100–550
Time0.5–2 h

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

Parts involved

exhaust gas temp sensor b1 s6wiring harnessecm

Related codes

P2EA1P2EA2P2EA5P2481

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