P0380 and P0670 to P0684: glow plugs and their module
A diesel glow plug, its warning lamp circuit or the module that powers the plugs has a fault. P0671 to P0682 name the cylinder.
SeverityLowLittle risk to the car, but the fault stays until it is repaired.
Can you keep driving?Safe to drive, book a checkWhat does P0380 mean?
A diesel has no spark plugs: it lights its fuel with the heat of compression. On a cold engine that is not enough, so glow plugs heat each combustion chamber for a few seconds before and after starting. A control module or relay switches them and checks each one's current. These codes say a plug, its wiring, the module or the link between the module and the engine computer is not working as it should.
What causes P0380?
- A glow plug that has burnt out, the commonest cause
- A failed glow plug relay or control module
- A loose or corroded connector on top of a plug
- Damaged wiring to the plugs or between the module and the engine computer
What to check first for P0380
- Note which cylinder the code names, if any
- Measure each plug's resistance or current draw with the engine cold
- Check the plug connectors and the module's fuse and wiring
- Remove a seized glow plug only with the right method: a snapped plug means taking the cylinder head off
Can you drive with P0380?
Safe to drive once the engine is running. Cold starts get harder, with more smoke and rough running for the first minute, and in frost the engine may not start at all, so get it fixed before winter.
Clear a code only after the fault is fixed. A code that comes back means the cause is still there, and a warning light left on can hide a second fault behind the first.
Codes on this page
18
- P0380Glow Plug/Heater Circuit "A"
- P0381Glow Plug/Heater Indicator Circuit
- P0382Glow Plug/Heater Circuit "B"
- P0670Glow Plug Module Control Circuit
- P0671Cylinder 1 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0672Cylinder 2 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0673Cylinder 3 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0674Cylinder 4 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0675Cylinder 5 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0676Cylinder 6 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0677Cylinder 7 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0678Cylinder 8 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0679Cylinder 9 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0680Cylinder 10 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0681Cylinder 11 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0682Cylinder 12 Glow Plug Circuit
- P0683Glow Plug Control Module to PCM Communication Circuit
- P0684Glow Plug Control Module to PCM Communication Circuit Range/Performance
Related codes
Checked on · Rafael Soares
These are the generic meanings every manufacturer shares. Each brand adds its own detail, so your car's handbook, its service information and a qualified mechanic have the last word. OdoKeep has no connection with any manufacturer, and the app does not read codes from the car.
