P0293: Cylinder 11 Contribution/Balance

P0293 comes from the cylinder balance control of common-rail diesels: the engine module measures the crankshaft acceleration of each cylinder's power stroke, compares it with the average and gives a deviating cylinder more or less fuel. The code sets when the correction for cylinder 11 reaches its limit and the cylinder still does not keep up – GM at 95 % of a limit of about ±12–17 mm³ for 30 s, Ford above 90 % of the allowed 3.5–15 mg per stroke for 7.5 s; GM needs two trips. The code does not say whether there is too much or too little fuel – the correction value for cylinder 11 shows the direction: strongly negative means a leaking injector, strongly positive a weak injector or low compression. Cylinder 11 only exists on diesels with twelve cylinders; GM and Ford documents stop at cylinder 8, so the description follows CARB and the siblings.

High severity. Can I keep driving?Avoid driving if the light is flashing or the engine is shaking: unburned gasoline can damage the catalytic converter.

Cylinder 11 is numbered according to the manufacturer: check your engine's manual before working on it.

Symptoms

Check engine light on
Rough idle, shaking or knocking
Loss of power or smoke
Higher consumption, poor cold start

Most likely causes

Injector of cylinder 11 worn, coked or leaking
Engine software outdated or diagnosis too sensitive
Injector correction codes not or wrongly programmed after replacement
Low compression on cylinder 11 (valve, rings, injector seal)
Crankshaft sensor or tone wheel learning faulty, dual-mass flywheel

What to check, in order

Start with the simplest. You can tick off each step.

See whether the light is flashing: if so, reduce engine load and avoid driving
Inspect the spark plugs, coils, and connectors
Swap the coil with another cylinder and see if the misfire moves with it
Check the injector and look for air leaks
Run a compression test if everything above checks out

Good to know

Repair difficulty: hard
It affects emissions.

What each character of P0293 means

P: Powertrain: engine and transmission
0: Generic code: same on every make
2: Fuel injection
93: Specific fault in that system

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with code P0293?

Avoid driving if the light is flashing or the engine is shaking: unburned gasoline can damage the catalytic converter.

What causes code P0293?

The most common causes are: injector of cylinder 11 worn, coked or leaking; engine software outdated or diagnosis too sensitive; injector correction codes not or wrongly programmed after replacement.

Related codes

Sources

Values and procedures vary by manufacturer. If it affects brakes, steering, fuel or high voltage, see a professional. Updated: 2026-11-04. How we build these pages.