P0C53: Drive Motor A Position Sensor Circuit A High

P0C53 is the high counterpart of P0C52: the reference level on the S1/S3 winding circuit of the motor A resolver rises above its window, typical of a short to a voltage source or an open line that floats up. GM uses an upper limit of 4.5 V on the 2011 Volt, 2013 eAssist and 2016 Volt and ELR, 4.9 V on the 2019 Volt and only 3.0 V on the 2012 two-mode Tahoe, Yukon, Escalade, Sierra and Silverado hybrids. It reacts faster than on the low side: 20 of 30 samples (about 208 ms) on the 2011 Volt, 0.2125 s within 0.3125 s on the 2016 Volt. MIL logic is Type A on the 2011 Volt and the 2012 trucks, Type B on eAssist and the later Volt. No bulletin names this code for motor A.

Symptoms

• Check engine lamp with hybrid system message
• Reduced propulsion or electric drive unavailable
• Rough engine running on vehicles that use motor A for starting

Most likely causes

• Open S1 or S3 line or a terminal that has backed out, letting the input drift high
• Circuit A line shorted to a voltage-carrying wire in the harness
• Broken S1/S3 winding in the resolver stator
• Faulty resolver input in the motor control module

What to check, in order

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

1. Read the codes with a hybrid-compatible scanner and write down the freeze frame data
2. Check the sensor's ground and make sure the signal wire is not receiving voltage from another circuit.
3. Make sure the battery cooling air intake is clean
4. Check the 12 V auxiliary battery, which can also trigger warnings
5. Leave any high-voltage measurements to a specialized repair shop

Good to know

• Repair difficulty: hard
• It can trigger limp mode.
• It affects emissions.

What each character of P0C53 means

• P: Powertrain: engine and transmission
• 0: Generic code: same on every make
• C: Subsystem depends on the code range
• 53: Specific fault in that system

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with code P0C53?

If the car still runs, drive as little as possible and go to a specialized repair shop. Do not touch the orange cables: they carry high voltage.

What causes code P0C53?

The most common causes are: open S1 or S3 line or a terminal that has backed out, letting the input drift high; circuit A line shorted to a voltage-carrying wire in the harness; broken S1/S3 winding in the resolver stator.

Related codes

• P0C52Drive Motor A Position Sensor Circuit A Low
• P0C5DDrive Motor A Position Sensor Circuit B High
• P0C50Drive Motor A Position Sensor Circuit A
• P0C54Drive Motor A Position Sensor Circuit A Intermittent/Erratic
• P0A42Drive Motor A Position Sensor Circuit High

Sources

• gsi.ext.gm.com: 11OBDG01 HYBRID Diagnostics
• gsi.ext.gm.com: 12OBDG06 Hybrid Diagnostics
• gsi.ext.gm.com: 16OBDG01 Hybrid Diagnostics
• gsi.ext.gm.com: 19OBDG01 Hybrid Diagnostics

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.