P0634
PCM/ECM/TCM Internal Temperature Too High
- Severity
- High
- Driving
- Drive only to a garage
A control module is reporting that it is running too hot inside. Modules are designed to operate within a temperature range, and above it they behave unpredictably - so the module will usually reduce what it is doing to protect itself. Something is either heating it or making it work harder than it should.
Possible causes
- CommonModule mounted where it gets little airflow, or a blocked cooling path
- CommonA shorted output making the module work far harder than it should
- CommonCorroded connector causing high resistance and local heating
- CommonFailed internal temperature sensor
- PossibleVery high ambient temperature combined with heavy load
- PossibleGenuine internal module failure
What you might notice
- Limp mode or reduced power
- Fault appearing after a period of driving or in hot weather
- Module resetting
- Several unrelated codes at once
- Check engine light on
What to check, in order
- Note when it happens. Only in traffic or hot weather points at cooling; at any time points at something making the module work hard.
- Read all codes. A shorted output circuit stored alongside this one is very likely the cause - driving a shorted circuit is what heats the module.
- Check the module's mounting and its airflow path. Some are fitted with a small duct or heat sink that can be blocked or missing after previous work.
- Inspect the connector for corrosion and heat discolouration. High resistance in a connector generates heat exactly where the module can feel it.
- Do not fit a replacement module before finding what is heating it - the new one will heat the same way.
Read this code from your own car
Plug an ELM327 adapter into the OBD-II port under the dashboard. Pin16 reads every stored, pending and permanent code, explains each one like this page does — offline, with no account — and shows what the car recorded when the fault was set.
Where this code sits
P00xxP01xxP02xxP03xxP04xxP05xxP06xxP07xxP08xxP09xxP0AxxP0BxxP0CxxP0DxxP0ExxP0FxxP10xxP11xxP12xxP13xxP14xxP15xxP16xxP17xxP18xxP19xxP1AxxP1BxxP1CxxP1DxxP1ExxP1FxxP20xxP21xxP22xxP23xxP24xxP25xxP26xxP27xxP28xxP29xxP2AxxP2BxxP2CxxP2DxxP2ExxP2FxxP30xxP31xxP32xxP33xxP34xxP35xxP36xxP37xxP38xxP39xxP3AxxP3BxxP3CxxP3DxxP3ExxP3Fxx
Computer output circuits and control module
P0600P0601P0602P0603P0604P0605P0606P0607P0608P0609P0610P0611P0612P0613P0614P0615P0616P0617P0618P0619P0620P0621P0622P0623P0624P0625P0626P0627P0628P0629P0630P0631P0632P0633P0634P0635P0636P0637P0638P0639P0640P0641P0642P0643P0644P0645P0646P0647P0648P0649P0650P0651P0652P0653P0654P0655P0656P0657P0658P0659P0660P0661P0662P0663P0664P0665P0666P0667P0668P0669P0670P0671P0672P0673P0674P0675P0676P0677P0678P0679P0680P0681P0682P0683P0684P0685P0686P0687P0688P0689P0690P0691P0692P0693P0694P0695P0696P0697P0698P0699