P0DAE: Hybrid/EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit A Stuck Off

With P0DAE the controller has commanded balancing on circuit A, yet nothing happens: the switch stays open or the bleed resistor is broken, so the targeted cells keep their charge. Ford documents the code for its hybrid BECM; in the 2014 OBD summary the verdict rests on a 100 ms check at power-up with open contactors, in which one cell of the six-cell group lying beyond 75 mV from the average on two successive starts is enough. For a related code, GM checks on eAssist with the ignition off that the cell moves by more than 0.1 V once the resistor is switched in. The penalty is slow: the high cells limit charging, the pack loses usable capacity and the overall verdict P0DAB may follow.

Symptoms

• MIL and battery system warning
• Charging ends early because individual cells reach full first
• Growing cell voltage spread in the live data

Most likely causes

• Bleed resistor of circuit A open or its solder joint cracked
• Balancing transistor failed open
• Broken balancing/sense lead or terminal between module and cells

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. Use the scanner to command the movement and compare the actual position with the requested one.
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

• It affects emissions.

What each character of P0DAE means

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

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with code P0DAE?

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 P0DAE?

The most common causes are: bleed resistor of circuit A open or its solder joint cracked; balancing transistor failed open; broken balancing/sense lead or terminal between module and cells.

Related codes

• P0DABHybrid/EV Battery Cell Balancing Performance
• P0DACHybrid/EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit A
• P0DADHybrid/EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit A Stuck On
• P0DAFHybrid/EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit A Range/Performance
• P0DB2Hybrid/EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit B Stuck Off

Sources

• law.cornell.edu: 13 CCR 1968.2
• gsi.ext.gm.com: 13OBDG05C Hybrid Diagnostics
• patents.google.com: en
• fordservicecontent.com: OBDSM1402 HEV

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.