How is P0246 different from P0245?

They are opposite readings on the same circuit, and the difference decides where you look. P0245 says the wastegate solenoid control circuit is reading low, which points at a short to ground or an open. P0246 says it is reading high, which points at a short to voltage or a lost, corroded, or high-resistance ground leaving nothing to pull the circuit down. The parts involved are identical, but testing for a short to ground when the code is telling you the circuit is high is the most common way to waste time on this fault.

Can a bad ground alone cause P0246?

Yes, and it is worth checking before anything gets replaced. These solenoids are typically switched on the ground side, so the control wire voltage should drop when the PCM energizes the coil. If the ground path is corroded, loose, or high in resistance, that voltage cannot drop properly and the module records a circuit-high fault even though the solenoid itself is fine. Testing the ground for continuity and low resistance takes a few minutes with a multimeter and costs nothing, which makes it a poor thing to skip.

Where should I look for a short to voltage?

At the harness, and specifically where it runs hot. A short to voltage requires the control wire to physically touch an energized circuit, which means the insulation has been damaged somewhere. The wiring for this solenoid frequently passes near the turbocharger and exhaust manifold, where heat hardens insulation until it cracks and exposes the conductor. Follow the harness run visually and by feel, look for shiny or flattened spots where it rests against brackets, and wiggle-test while watching the voltage to catch an intermittent.

Will P0246 damage my engine if I keep driving?

Not directly, and the limp mode is actually the reason why. Without trustworthy control of the wastegate, the PCM defaults to the conservative state — wastegate open, minimal boost — precisely so an uncontrolled overboost cannot occur. The car will feel flat and slow, but nothing is being harmed by that. The reason to fix it promptly is that the underlying fault is often a chafed harness near hot components, which tends to get worse rather than better, and the repair itself is usually inexpensive.

OBD-II trouble code

P0246: Turbocharger/Supercharger Wastegate Solenoid "A" High

The wastegate control solenoid circuit is reading high — the exact opposite of P0245. That points at a short to voltage or a lost ground rather than a short to ground, and the resulting limp mode is the PCM refusing to run boost it cannot control.

Medium severityPowertrainFuel & AirDrivable short-term

Quick facts

System: Powertrain
Category: Fuel & Air
Severity: Medium severity
Drivable: Usually safe to drive short-term
Repair cost range: $100 – $900
DIY difficulty: Intermediate DIY

What does P0246 mean?

The wastegate solenoid is the small electrical valve through which the PCM controls boost, metering vacuum or pressure to the wastegate actuator that in turn positions the wastegate. P0246 sets when the control circuit for wastegate solenoid "A" reads high — the voltage on that circuit sits above the expected window.

This is the mirror image of P0245, and the distinction is the most useful thing the code tells you. Most of these solenoids are switched on the ground side: the PCM completes the circuit to ground to energize the coil, so the voltage on the control wire should drop when the solenoid is commanded on. A circuit-high fault means that voltage is not dropping the way it should. The usual explanations are a short to voltage — the control wire touching a battery-voltage or ignition-feed circuit somewhere along its run — or a lost, corroded, or high-resistance ground path, which leaves nothing to pull the circuit down. An open in the control wire produces the same reading on many systems, because the module sees full reference voltage with nothing loading it. A solenoid whose coil has failed open contributes the same signature.

Because the direction is opposite to P0245, so is the hunt. On P0245 you are looking for a short to ground. On P0246 you are looking for a short to voltage or a bad ground. Testing for the wrong one is the most common way to waste an afternoon on this code, so it is worth reading the code carefully before picking up a meter.

The part itself is still the leading suspect. A failed wastegate solenoid remains the single most common cause across this family, followed by damaged wiring and corroded connectors. What makes P0246 slightly different in practice is that a short to voltage is more likely than usual to be a harness problem rather than a component problem, because a control wire has to physically touch something energized for it to happen. That usually means chafing — and given that this harness commonly runs near the turbocharger and exhaust manifold, heat-hardened insulation that has cracked and exposed the conductor is a realistic finding. Inspecting the harness run properly, not just the connector, is worth the extra ten minutes.

For the driver, the effect is the same as the rest of the family. With the solenoid circuit faulted, the PCM has no trustworthy control over boost, and running a turbocharged engine without that control risks overboost and engine damage. So it defaults to a safe state — wastegate open, minimal boost, reduced power. The car drives but feels as though the turbo is not there. That is protection rather than damage, and full power normally returns once boost control is restored.

As with the rest of the family, check the wastegate itself for mechanical binding before signing off. With the engine cold and off, the linkage should move freely with light spring resistance. A solenoid replaced into a stuck wastegate resolves nothing, and on several direct-injection turbo platforms carbon buildup and thermal cycling make sticking flappers a genuine and recurring problem.

Common causes

Short to voltage in the solenoid control circuit, usually from chafed insulation
Lost, corroded, or high-resistance ground in the solenoid circuit
Failed wastegate control solenoid with an open coil
Open circuit in the control wire between the PCM and the solenoid
Corroded, loose, or water-intruded connector at the solenoid
Heat-hardened, cracked harness insulation where the wiring runs near the turbo or exhaust
Incorrect or wrong-specification replacement solenoid fitted
Cracked or disconnected vacuum lines on vacuum-operated systems
PCM solenoid driver fault, rare and diagnosed only after everything else checks out

Symptoms

Check engine light with P0246 stored
Loss of power — the engine feels as though the turbo is not contributing
Reduced-power or limp mode
Poor acceleration and flat throttle response
Reduced fuel economy
Boost target and actual boost diverging in live data
Abnormal airflow or whistling noise if a vacuum line has also failed
Exhaust smoke on some diesel applications

Diagnostic steps

1.Record all stored codes. P0246 tells you the circuit is specifically high, so look for a short to voltage or a lost ground — not a short to ground, which is the P0245 pattern.
2.Inspect the solenoid connector for corrosion, water intrusion, melted plastic, and backed-out or spread pins.
3.Check the solenoid's ground path for continuity and low resistance. A high-resistance ground is a leading cause of a circuit-high reading and costs nothing to test.
4.Measure the solenoid's coil resistance with the key off and compare it against the specification. An open coil reads as infinite resistance and condemns the solenoid.
5.Disconnect the solenoid and check the control wire for a short to voltage with the key on.
6.Check continuity end to end on the control wire between the PCM connector and the solenoid to rule out an open.
7.Inspect the entire harness run for chafing and heat-hardened insulation, especially where it passes near the turbocharger or exhaust manifold. A short to voltage requires physical contact, so the damage is usually findable.
8.Back-probe the control wire and watch the voltage while wiggling the harness to catch an intermittent short.
9.Command the solenoid on and off with a scan tool's output test and listen or feel for it clicking. Silence with good power and a good command signal means it has failed internally.
10.On vacuum systems, inspect every hose between the vacuum source, the solenoid, and the actuator for cracking, hardening, and disconnection.
11.With the engine cold and off, move the wastegate linkage by hand. It should travel freely with light spring resistance.
12.Suspect the PCM driver only after the wiring, ground, connector, and solenoid have all been verified good.

Repair cost

$100 – $900

The wastegate control solenoid is typically $50-$200 in parts with 0.3-1 hour of labor, putting the common repair around $120-$350. A ground repair or connector cleanup can be under $150. Wiring repairs run $100-$350 and land toward the top of that when a chafed section near the turbo has to be traced and rebuilt properly rather than patched. A vacuum hose replacement is often under $100. The upper end of the range covers cases where the wastegate actuator also needs replacing or where extensive heat-damaged harness has to come out. As with the rest of this family, the code rarely justifies turbocharger replacement on its own.

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DIY vs shop

This is an intermediate DIY job. It usually involves diagnostic steps, specialty parts, and some careful work in tight spaces. If you have the tools and a service manual or trustworthy video for your specific vehicle, it is achievable in a weekend. Otherwise, a competent independent shop will be faster.