P0C90: Hybrid/EV Battery Temperature Sensor J Circuit High

P0C90 reports the opposite case: sensor J reads above its voltage window, which with a pull-up circuit points to an open thermistor, a broken lead or a disconnected plug, and the controller sees an impossibly cold module. In GM's 2016 and 2019 tables (16OBDG02, 19OBDG02) a converted value colder than −69 °C in 8 out of 10 readings, one every 100 ms, fails the test; it is Type B, so the lamp waits for the second bad trip, and it runs only above 10.2 V with communication intact. For sensor [09] of the 2018 Outlander PHEV, Mitsubishi records an open when more than 3.97 V, below −62 °C, persists for 2 s. Because the battery seems frozen, the system may limit power, keep the engine running or ask for warming on a plug-in. P0C8F is the short-circuit counterpart.

High severity. Can I keep driving?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.

Symptoms

Battery-too-cold message although the weather is mild
Little or no electric drive power
Battery heater switching on without need

Most likely causes

Open lead or unplugged connector at sensor J
Thermistor J open internally
Terminal pushed back in the monitoring board plug

What to check, in order

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

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

Good to know

It can trigger limp mode.
It affects emissions.

What each character of P0C90 means

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

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with code P0C90?

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 P0C90?

The most common causes are: open lead or unplugged connector at sensor J; thermistor J open internally; terminal pushed back in the monitoring board plug.

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.