C0601Active Air Dam Control Circuit/Open
- Generic OBD-II code · Chassis
- How the car detects it
- An active air dam is a panel below the front bumper that an electric drive lowers at speed to reduce drag and raises for slow driving, towing or rough ground. Ford's patent for this design moves the panel with two motor-driven screw jacks under command of the PCM or body module over LIN or CAN; a GM patent closes the loop with position, motor current and back-EMF feedback. C0601 means the drive path to the actuator is open: the controller switches its output on, yet no load current flows. Integrated motor drivers such as TI's DRV8873-Q1 report exactly this as an open load. No maker documents C0601 publicly; Ford and Stellantis only publish the performance code C0604. The panel usually stays where it last stopped.
- What you may notice
- Active Air Dam System Fault message in the cluster
- Air dam no longer moves and stays raised or lowered
- Slightly higher fuel use on the highway when stuck raised
- Likely causes
- LikelyActuator connector loose, unplugged or corroded after water entry
- PossibleWire broken in the exposed harness behind the bumper, often after impact or road debris
- PossibleOpen motor winding or internal fault in the air dam actuator
- Repair
- Medium · Often possible to do yourself.Typical cost: €30 – €600
- Related codes
Explanation from obdex (CC0), exactly as the app shows it. Guidance only; confirm with a workshop.