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P0272Cylinder 4 Contribution/Balance

What it means

The ECU measures how much each cylinder speeds up the crankshaft. Cylinder 4 contributes clearly more or less than the others, and the correction needed to balance it is beyond the limit. On diesels this is usually an injector or a compression problem.

Symptoms

  • Rough or shaking idle
  • Hard start, sometimes with smoke
  • Knocking from one cylinder

Common causes

  • Worn or leaking injector on cylinder 4
  • Low compression on cylinder 4 (rings, valve)
  • Leaking injector copper seal
  • Air in the fuel or low fuel supply pressure

What to check first

  1. Read the injector correction (balance) values at warm idle
  2. Run a leak-off (return flow) test on all injectors
  3. Run a compression or relative compression test before replacing an injector
Can I drive with P0272? Usually yes for a short distance, but performance or economy may suffer and the fault can get worse. Diagnose it soon.

Generic OBD-II meaning. Manufacturer-specific meanings and checks can differ; always check the service information for the car.

How to test the parts behind P0272

Common-rail diesel injectorWiring, typical values, multimeter and scope tests

Known engine problems that set P0272

2.0 TDI EA189: Injector wear and leakageVolkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat · typically 150,000–300,000 km1.6 TDI EA189: Leaking or worn injectorsVolkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat · typically 120,000–250,000 km1.5 dCi K9K: Injector failure and starting problemsRenault, Dacia, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Suzuki · typically 100,000–250,000 kmMercedes OM651: Injector failure on early engines (Delphi piezo)Mercedes-Benz · typically 40,000–150,000 km

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P0272: questions and answers

What does P0272 mean?

P0272: Cylinder 4 Contribution/Balance. The ECU measures how much each cylinder speeds up the crankshaft. Cylinder 4 contributes clearly more or less than the others, and the correction needed to balance it is beyond the limit. On diesels this is usually an injector or a compression problem.

What are the symptoms of P0272?

Rough or shaking idle. Hard start, sometimes with smoke. Knocking from one cylinder.

What causes P0272?

Worn or leaking injector on cylinder 4. Low compression on cylinder 4 (rings, valve). Leaking injector copper seal. Air in the fuel or low fuel supply pressure.

How do you diagnose P0272?

1. Read the injector correction (balance) values at warm idle 2. Run a leak-off (return flow) test on all injectors 3. Run a compression or relative compression test before replacing an injector

Can I drive with P0272?

Usually yes for a short distance, but performance or economy may suffer and the fault can get worse. Diagnose it soon.