OBD-II trouble code
P0003: Fuel Volume Regulator Control Circuit Low
SAE J2012: fuel volume regulator control circuit low. The measurement is taken with the circuit connected, and it is below the normal span. On the 2016 Ford 6.7L and 3.2L diesel summary that is control-chip voltage below 2.8 V with the valve not energized. On the EcoSport 2.0L chart, a short to ground on the regulator return may damage the coil.
Quick facts
- System
- Powertrain
- Category
- Fuel and Air Metering
- Severity
- High severity
- Drivable
- No — stop driving until repaired
- Repair cost range
- $2,600 – $4,000 (diesel injection pump replacement)
- DIY difficulty
- Advanced DIY
Browse every code in P0001–P0099, or start from the full code library.
What does P0003 mean?
Circuit low is the low end of the same family as P0001. P0001 is the open or no-response test. P0004, where it is used, is circuit high. The Ford diesel summary makes the split with voltages: valve not energized, control-chip voltage below 2.8 V sets P0003, and 2.8–4.8 V sets P0001, against a 5 V secondary supply. Those thresholds are that 2016 6.7L and 3.2L document.
The EcoSport 2.0L Duratec-HE page sets P0001:00 on high or low voltage on the regulator and its return, and it says an FVR-return short to ground may damage the solenoid coil. If P0001 appears after the wiring repair, that page says to check the coil for an open. It does not say that clearing the code destroys the module driver. The related Ford diesel current limit is a different code: energized current above 3.7 A sets P0004, with a stated normal maximum of 2.2 A, and driver temperature above 170°C sets P0002.
Nothing in the Ford documents that were read establishes a normally open or normally closed rest position for every volume valve. Do not add one. And do not open the rail to prove a low-circuit code. The short is in the wiring or the coil.
Common causes
- A control wire or a return wire shorted to ground, the EcoSport failure that can also damage the coil
- A connector terminal shorted to the pump housing
- Control-chip voltage below 2.8 V with the valve off, the 2016 Ford 6.7L and 3.2L diesel trigger
- A coil shorted to the case, checked after the harness short is repaired, because the EcoSport page says the short may have damaged it
- A module driver, after the wire and the coil match this chart
- A pump condemned with the gasoline ohm table on an engine that table does not cover
Symptoms
- Check engine light, and a no-start or a stall when the valve can no longer meter
- The code sets with the circuit connected, which is how SAE defines circuit low
- P0001 stored after a wiring repair, which is the EcoSport cue to check the coil
- A blown fuse in the regulator feed, on a circuit that has one
- No change from a fuel-filter replacement
- A harness rub near the pump, found by inspection rather than by opening a fuel fitting
Diagnostic steps
- 1.Keep the high-pressure fittings closed. Relieve the pressure only if the procedure you are following opens a line. Look for a rub or a pinched return wire before you price a pump.
- 2.Confirm the definition. On the 2016 Ford diesels, P0003 is control-chip voltage below 2.8 V with the valve not energized. On the EcoSport 2.0L page, high or low voltage on the regulator circuits is P0001:00, and a return short to ground is called out as a way to damage the coil.
- 3.Ignition off. Unplug the connector and inspect it. Then isolate the harness: both ends disconnected, check the return and the control wire for continuity to ground. A short in the harness has to be fixed before a new coil is installed, or the EcoSport damage path repeats.
- 4.Measure the coil on the component side against this engine's table. Use the 2012 Ford gasoline table, 0.3–3.1 ohms hot and 0.3–1.1 ohms after a cold soak, only on the Taurus, Fiesta, Flex 3.5, and Mustang pages that print it. If the EcoSport wiring repair is followed by P0001, that page says to check the coil for an open.
- 5.Do not power the solenoid from the battery to see if it clicks. The EcoSport notice says that can damage the regulator.
- 6.Replace the part the chart names after the short is repaired and the coil is out of range. Clear the code and confirm the low-voltage test passes.
Repair cost
$2,600 – $4,000 (diesel injection pump replacement)
RepairPal's diesel injection pump average is $2,630–$4,034 parts and labor, updated 3 September 2026. $2,600–$4,000 rounds that job. A shorted wire is the EcoSport failure to find first, and no national labor total for that wire repair was found, so it is not priced. A volume-control valve sold separately was not found as a parts-and-labor total on RepairPal, YourMechanic, AutoZone, FIXD, or CarParts. The gasoline fuel-injection pump in the 2012 Ford pinpoint is not the diesel pump this estimator describes.
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Open the Repair Cost Estimator with fuel pressure regulator replacement preselected. Adjust labor rate and vehicle category to fit your situation.
DIY vs shop
This is an advanced DIY job. It typically requires specialty tools, scan-tool access, lifting equipment, or careful sequencing to avoid causing new failures. Plan for extended downtime and have a backup vehicle. Most owners are better served by a shop that has done this repair before.