P2246
O2 Sensor Reference Voltage Circuit High Bank 1 Sensor 1
Fuel & air metering
Generic OBD-II
Medium
What it means
P2246 means the reference voltage the ECM supplies to the bank 1, sensor 1 wide-band air/fuel sensor is reading too high. That reference lets the sensor measure the mixture precisely, so a fault makes the ECM distrust it and fall back to default fueling. The usual causes are a wiring short to voltage, an open, or a failing sensor.
Medium
Can I keep driving? Drivable, but the ECM loses accurate air/fuel feedback from the primary sensor, so fueling and economy can suffer until it's fixed.
Common symptoms
What you'll notice
- Check-engine light on
- Rough running or slightly uneven idle
- Increased fuel consumption
- Hesitation as the ECM falls back to open-loop fueling
Common causes
Most likely first
- Faulty wide-band air/fuel (O2) sensor on bank 1, sensor 1Likely
- Reference voltage wire shorted to voltage or open in the sensor circuitCommon
- Poor connection or corrosion at the sensor connectorCommon
- Chafed or damaged sensor harnessLess often
- Rarely, a faulty ECM/PCM reference supplyLess often
How to diagnose & fix
Work through it in order
- Read freeze-frame data and confirm it's the bank 1, sensor 1 reference circuit.
- Inspect the sensor connector and harness for shorts to voltage, opens, and corrosion.
- Backprobe the reference circuit to see whether it's pinned high with the sensor connected vs. unplugged.
- Compare against the wiring diagram — the reference voltage is supplied by the ECM, so isolate sensor vs. ECM.
- If the circuit checks out but the sensor is faulty, replace the air/fuel sensor and retest.
FAQ
Quick answers
Is it safe to drive with P2246?+
Short term yes, but without accurate feedback from the main air/fuel sensor the engine runs on default fueling, hurting economy and emissions.
Can I just clear P2246?+
It returns until the reference circuit fault or sensor is repaired.
Related codes
Often seen with P2246
Read & clear P2246 yourself
Scan your car, confirm the code, and clear it once it's fixed — with OBD DashX on your phone.
✓ Verified name — SAE J2012 / ISO 15031-6Guidance reviewed by OBD DashX