Cylinder 5 injector circuit fault.
P0205 — also written PO2O5, P 0205, 0205 — is the OBD-II code for injector circuit — cylinder 5. Same code, same fix: this page covers every spelling of it.
This code means the ECU has lost its connection with the fifth injector, usually leaving you running on five cylinders and shaking like a leaf. It’s a classic headache on UK diesel estates and vans where the wiring looms take a beating.
P0205 is a fuel & air fault code, typically costing £150–£700 to put right in a UK garage.
What P0205 actually feels like to drive
- The engine sounds like a bag of spanners, especially under load.
- The 'Limp Home' mode kicks in, cutting your power to about 30%.
- Severe 'juddering' or 'kangarooing' when you try to accelerate in 4th or 5th gear.
- A heavy smell of unburnt diesel coming from the exhaust pipe.
- The car shakes like a wet dog when idling at the traffic lights.
What causes P0205?
- Failed injector
- Wiring
UK vehicles that throw P0205 most often
- Ford Transit 2.2 TDCi (2011-2016) - Wiring loom issues.
- Audi A6 3.0 V6 TDI (2004-2011) - Common Piezo injector failure.
- BMW 330d/335d (E90/F30) - Cylinder 5 is buried at the back, prone to moisture.
- Vauxhall Insignia 2.0 CDTi (A20DTH) - Loom rubbing on the manifold.
- Mercedes Sprinter 2.1 BlueTEC - Injector connector corrosion.
- Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 - High injector failure rate over 100k miles.
How P0205 is fixed
- Injector replacement
The P0205 misdiagnosis that wastes money
I see folk throwing brand-new Bosch or Delphi injectors at this before they’ve even touched a multimeter. Nine times out of ten on a high-mileage van like a Transit or a Vivaro, it’s not the injector solenoid that’s died—it’s the loom. The wiring harness rubs against the engine hoist brackets or the fuel rail, vibrates through the insulation, and shorts out. I’ve seen people spend £400 on a new injector only for the P0205 to pop back up ten minutes later because the wire is still chaffed through to the copper.
What a UK garage should charge for P0205
An indie garage like mine will charge £60-£90 for a proper diagnostic plug-in. If it's just a wire repair, you're looking at £120. A refurbished Bosch injector usually sits around £150-£200, plus two hours labour (£120-£180). If you go to a main dealer, they’ll only fit brand-new units, so expect a bill closer to £700-£800 once you add 'diagnostic fees' and VAT. If the injector is 'seized' in the head, be warned: extraction specialists can charge an extra £150 just to pull it out.
P0205 repair cost in the UK
Most P0205 repairs land between £150–£700 including parts and labour. The spread is wide because the cheap fix (a sensor, a hose, a leak) and the expensive fix (a major component) throw the same code — which is why a proper diagnosis before parts are bought saves the most money.
Bob's tip on P0205
Before you let a garage swap the injector, ask them to 'buzz test' the circuit and check the resistance (usually around 12-15 ohms for a solenoid injector). If they say it's dead, ask to see the old one and check for 'black death' (carbon build-up) around the seal. If you're driving a BMW or Audi and they’re quoted you £700, check if it's a Piezo injector—these can't be repaired and must be new. Also, always insist on a new copper crush washer and a 'stretch bolt'; reusing the old bolt is a recipe for the injector blowing out of the head on the motorway.
Can you drive with P0205?
Avoid driving.
Urgency: high.