P0CC3: Drive Motor A Coolant Pump Control Circuit Low

P0CC3 indicates that the control line of the drive motor A coolant pump is pulled to ground. GM lists it for the 2013 eAssist cars in table 13OBDG05C: the hardware status of the output driver signals a low-circuit fault, and 20 of 25 samples at 250 ms with the pump commanded off and the vehicle in run/crank fail the test, Type B, so the MIL is lit after the second trip. Typical are chafed insulation where the harness passes brackets or the engine, or a pump with an internal short. Depending on how the driver stage is built, a grounded line can also leave the pump running permanently or stop it, so either constant pump noise or missing cooling is possible. Compared with the open-circuit code P0CC1 and the short-to-voltage code P0CC4, the repair focuses on finding the point of ground contact.

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

Check-engine lamp after two trips
Pump running constantly or not at all
Reduced electric assist

Most likely causes

Chafed control wire touching ground
Internal short in the pump
Faulty output stage in the control module

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
With the connector unplugged, check whether the signal wire is making contact with ground.
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

Repair difficulty: medium
It can trigger limp mode.
It affects emissions.

What each character of P0CC3 means

P: Powertrain: engine and transmission
0: Generic code: same on every make
C: Subsystem depends on the code range
C3: Specific fault in that system

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with code P0CC3?

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 P0CC3?

The most common causes are: chafed control wire touching ground; internal short in the pump; faulty output stage in the control module.

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.