P261C on Toyota
Coolant Pump "B" Control Circuit Low
P261C on Toyota vehicles indicates coolant pump "b" control circuit low. Au7o has documented this code across 1 Toyota model — most commonly on Prius. This code indicates the engine control module detected an abnormally low voltage (a short to ground) on the control circuit for electric coolant pump "B." That auxiliary pump circulates coolant to support engine, turbocharger, hybrid, or A/C cooling. A low/short condition means the circuit is not behaving correctly, and the computer can lose reliable control of the pump, which risks inadequate cooling and overheating of the affected system. Typical repair costs on Toyota range from $250 to $800, depending on the specific model and root cause.
Common Causes of P261C
- •Control wiring shorted to ground
- •Internally shorted/failed coolant pump
- •Corroded or damaged pump connector
- •Chafed wiring contacting chassis ground
- •Faulty pump relay or power circuit
- •ECM/PCM driver circuit fault (rare)
P261C on Toyota by Model
Toyota Prius(1 issue)
- Electric Engine Coolant Pump Failure Causing Overheat Shutdown (P261B / P261C)2010-2015
Unlike a belt-driven pump, the 2ZR-FXE engine coolant pump is a brushless electric unit commanded by duty cycle from the ECM. The internal motor/controller degrades and the pump slows or stops, so coolant stops circulating through the engine. The ECM detects the speed feedback falling below threshold and sets P261B (or P261C), lights the check engine and hybrid warning lights, and will shut the gas engine down to protect it, leaving the car crawling on battery only. Toyota addressed it with T-SB-0143-10 and a revised pump design; it is one of the most-reported repairs on third-gen Prius, Prius v, Prius c and Lexus CT200h.
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What does P261C mean on Toyota?▼
P261C stands for "Coolant Pump "B" Control Circuit Low." This code indicates the engine control module detected an abnormally low voltage (a short to ground) on the control circuit for electric coolant pump "B." That auxiliary pump circulates coolant to support engine, turbocharger, hybrid, or A/C cooling. A low/short condition means the circuit is not behaving correctly, and the computer can lose reliable control of the pump, which risks inadequate cooling and overheating of the affected system. On Toyota specifically, this code is documented across 1 model.
What causes P261C on Toyota vehicles?▼
Common causes on Toyota: Control wiring shorted to ground, Internally shorted/failed coolant pump, Corroded or damaged pump connector, Chafed wiring contacting chassis ground, Faulty pump relay or power circuit. Specific causes vary by model and year — see the per-model sections below.
How much does it cost to fix P261C on a Toyota?▼
Repair costs on Toyota range from $250 to $800, depending on the specific model and root cause.
Which Toyota models have P261C documented?▼
Au7o has documented P261C on 1 Toyota model: Prius.