OBD-II trouble code
P0285: Cylinder 9 Injector Circuit Low
SAE J2012 APR2002: cylinder 9 injector circuit low. The 2010 BMW M5 S85 stores a short to ground under 276F and limits speed to 3500 rpm. The printed pair is one injector after the plug is checked.
Quick facts
- System
- Powertrain
- Category
- Fuel Injectors
- Severity
- Medium severity
- Drivable
- Usually safe to drive short-term
- Repair cost range
- $768 – $953 (one fuel injector replacement, parts and labor, after the 2010 M5 plug-and-harness step; the short to ground and the DME are outside this pair)
- DIY difficulty
- Shop recommended
Browse every code in P0200–P0299, or start from the full code library.
What does P0285 mean?
SAE J2012 APR2002 names P0285 Cylinder 9 Injector Circuit Low. P0286 is cylinder 9 circuit high. A four-cylinder or six-cylinder injector chart does not contain cylinder 9. A VAG-group list prints 16669 P0285 as injector 9-299, short circuit to ground. The list prints '9-299' on that line, not an N-number.
The 2010 BMW M5 (E60) V10-5.0L S85 page is 276F - P0285, electrical diagnosis of cylinder 9's fuel injector, stored in the DME. The test conditions are driver information present, configuration B_CFG_S85, terminal 15 on, and battery voltage above K_ED_PlusMin. The memory line says the driver info includes a short circuit to ground. Service is ordered: check the plug and the wiring harness on the injection valve, then check the valve and replace as indicated. The effect line is rough idle, engine speed limited to 3500 rpm, power reduction, and the MIL after the engine runs twice. The warning-light field on that page says no.
No P0286 S85 page was in the set that was read, so a 5000 rpm short-to-B+ line is not stated for the high code here. The 6.0L FICM open-coil examples stop at a V8 and do not include P0285. 19-NA-232's contribution list stops at P0284, which is a different monitor. There is no ohm spec on the 276F page.
Common causes
- On the 2010 M5, a short circuit to ground in cylinder 9's injector driver info, fault 276F
- A short to ground in that injection valve's plug or harness
- On the VAG-group list, a short circuit to ground on the injector that line labels 9-299
Symptoms
- P0285 stored in the DME
- On the 2010 M5 page, rough idle and speed limited to 3500 rpm
- Power reduction, and the MIL after two engine runs
- P0286 stored, which is the circuit-high code and was not the 276F page
Diagnostic steps
- 1.Use the 2010 S85 page only on that engine. B_CFG_S85, terminal 15 on, voltage above K_ED_PlusMin.
- 2.Check the plug and the wiring harness on cylinder 9's injection valve. Repair that before the valve is priced.
- 3.Check the valve and replace it as indicated. The 3500 rpm limit is the effect line.
- 4.Do not transfer G3 pin numbers, G8 2.6–4.6 volt checks, or 6.0L current rules onto this V10. The 6.0L FICM fault list is cylinders 1 through 8 and does not name cylinder 9. Do not read '9-299' as a part number, and do not run 19-NA-232 for this code. That bulletin does not list P0285.
- 5.Do not treat the VAG text '9-299' as the part number. The diagram names the injector.
- 6.Depressurize before the valve is removed. The printed pair is one injector. The harness and the DME are outside it.
Repair cost
$768 – $953 (one fuel injector replacement, parts and labor, after the 2010 M5 plug-and-harness step; the short to ground and the DME are outside this pair)
RepairPal's national injector replacement, updated 3 September 2026, is $768–$953, labor $304–$446 and parts $464–$507. The printed pair is that average for the valve 276F replaces as indicated. It is not a BMW-only price. The 2026 F-150 line at $1,130–$1,415 and the 2026 Tucson line at $456–$604 are other lines. A harness repair and a DME are outside. Diagnosis is $125–$183, separate. No separate M5 line was returned on that estimator.
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DIY vs shop
Leave this one to a qualified shop. The barrier here is high-pressure fuel components, where residual pressure remains after shutdown and escaping fuel can penetrate skin. DIY attempts often produce a more expensive problem than the original code.