P0685
ECM/PCM Power Relay Control Circuit/Open
- Severity
- High
- Driving
- Drive only to a garage
A fault in the control circuit for the engine control module's own power relay - an open circuit, usually a broken wire or a failed relay winding. This is the relay the module uses to switch its own main supply. If it cannot be controlled, the module may lose power entirely, or may keep power after the car is switched off, which flattens the battery overnight.
Possible causes
- CommonFailed relay
- CommonCorroded relay socket or fuse box connections
- CommonWiring fault between the module and the relay
- CommonWater ingress into the fuse box
- PossibleBlown fuse
- RareFailed control module driver
What you might notice
- Engine will not start
- Engine cutting out
- Battery flat after standing
- Cooling fan or fuel pump running with the ignition off
- Check engine light on
What to check, in order
- Swap the relay with an identical one from elsewhere in the box and see whether the fault follows it. It costs nothing and is the fastest test available.
- Inspect the relay socket for corrosion, heat damage and spread terminals - a discoloured socket means the relay has been running hot.
- Check the fuse for the circuit.
- Check the fuse box for water ingress, particularly if it is mounted low or in the engine bay.
- Check the wiring between the module and the relay.
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