P0562 System Voltage Low

Investigate soon

The ECU has logged a fault on P0562. The definition below is the exact wording the standard uses for this code.

Can you drive it? The engine light will stay on and the car may run in a reduced-power mode. Read the freeze-frame data to see the conditions the fault was logged under.

The definition

P0562: System Voltage Low.

P0562 is a powertrain code (the engine or gearbox), defined by the SAE standard - it means the same thing on any make of car, and any generic OBD-II reader will decode it.

What to check first

Cheapest and fastest checks first:

Read the freeze-frame data stored with the fault - engine speed, load and temperature at the moment it logged tell you whether this happens cold, hot or under load.
Check the connector at the part for corrosion, and that it is fully seated.
Clear the code and see whether it returns, and under what conditions.

What actually causes this on a VAG

The ECU is seeing its supply voltage below what it expects while the engine is running, which means the charging system isn't keeping up or voltage is being lost on the way round the car. On VAG cars this usually brings a whole shopping list of odd, unrelated codes in other modules, because low voltage upsets everything electronic. It's worth taking seriously - it's the kind of fault that eventually leaves you stranded in a car park.

Most likely causes, in order

Tired battery, poor terminals or a bad earth. The cheapest place to start, and a very common cause. Have the battery properly load-tested rather than just measured, check the terminal clamps for corrosion and looseness, and check the heavy earth straps from battery to body and to the engine or gearbox - a poor earth can mimic a failed alternator convincingly.
Alternator or its regulator failing. Measure at the battery with the engine running, then again with headlights, blower and heated rear screen all switched on: a healthy system holds up under load, a failing one sags. Charging that's erratic rather than simply low often points at the regulator or worn brushes.
Alternator drive - belt, tensioner or freewheel pulley. VAG alternators commonly use an overrunning (freewheel) pulley, and when it fails the belt can look perfect while the alternator isn't being driven properly. A rattle from the front of the engine, or a belt that squeals on start-up, is a hint.
New battery not registered, or a faulty battery monitor. Cars with battery energy management expect the new battery's type and capacity to be coded in, and there's a monitoring sensor on the negative lead. Skip the coding, or have that sensor fail, and the charging strategy may not charge the battery properly.

Worth knowing: Fix the voltage before chasing any other fault codes - low voltage generates plenty of convincing-looking rubbish in other modules, and a lot of those codes never come back once charging is right.

Reading the code is the easy part

A code names the circuit that complained. What tells you why is watching the sensor behind it while the engine runs — and that is where a code reader stops and a diagnostic tool starts.

VAGPULSE reads every module in a VW, Audi, Skoda or SEAT — not just the engine — shows the live measuring blocks behind this fault, gives you the freeze-frame conditions it was logged under, and clears it once you have fixed it. It also does what a generic OBD reader cannot on a VAG: service resets, coding, adaptations, and Stage 1–3 flashing with your original file saved first.

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Common questions

What does P0562 mean?

P0562 means System Voltage Low. It is logged when the ECU sees this circuit outside its expected operating window.

Can I drive with P0562?

The engine light will stay on and the car may run in a reduced-power mode. Read the freeze-frame data to see the conditions the fault was logged under.