P1213–P1220 Cylinder 1 Fuel Injector (N30) Circuit - Short to B+
A wire in this circuit is touching a live positive feed, so the part sees power when it shouldn't.
Can you drive it? This class of fault can cause real mechanical damage if you keep driving on it. A persistent misfire also destroys the catalytic converter, which is the expensive part.
Which code is which
Same fault, different cylinder or bank — diagnosed the same way. Several set together usually means one shared cause.
| Code | Definition | Severity |
|---|---|---|
P1213 | Cylinder 1 Fuel Injector (N30) Circuit - Short to B+ | Do not keep driving |
P1214 | Cylinder 2 Fuel Injector (N31) Circuit - Short to B+ | Do not keep driving |
P1215 | Cylinder 3 Fuel Injector (N32) Circuit - Short to B+ | Do not keep driving |
P1216 | Cylinder 4 Fuel Injector (N33) Circuit - Short to B+ | Do not keep driving |
P1217 | Cylinder 5 Fuel Injector (N83) Circuit - Short to B+ | Do not keep driving |
P1218 | Cylinder 6 Fuel Injector (N84) Circuit - Short to B+ | Do not keep driving |
P1219 | Cylinder 7 Fuel Injector (N85) Circuit - Short to B+ | Do not keep driving |
P1220 | Cylinder 8 Fuel Injector (N86) Circuit - Short to B+ | Do not keep driving |
The definition
P1213: Cylinder 1 Fuel Injector (N30) Circuit - Short to B+.
P1213 is a manufacturer-specific powertrain code (the engine or gearbox). Its meaning is set by the carmaker rather than by the SAE standard, so a generic OBD-II reader will often show it as an unknown code or misread it.
What to check first
Cheapest and fastest checks first:
- With the connector unplugged and ignition on, check whether the signal pin already has battery voltage on it. It should not.
- Check for a chafed wire lying against a live feed, especially in looms that run alongside the starter or alternator cabling.
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 P1213 mean?
P1213 means Cylinder 1 Fuel Injector (N30) Circuit - Short to B+. A wire in this circuit is touching a live positive feed, so the part sees power when it shouldn't.
Can I drive with P1213?
This class of fault can cause real mechanical damage if you keep driving on it. A persistent misfire also destroys the catalytic converter, which is the expensive part.