P278EKick Down Switch Circuit Intermittent/Erratic
- Generic OBD-II code · Powertrain
- How the car detects it
- P278E stands for a kickdown switch signal that drops out or toggles irregularly. No manufacturer documents P278E publicly; the monitoring idea follows CARB's call for circuit checks on inputs, and Eaton's Endurant HD diagnostics show the networked equivalent, where a kickdown message that is invalid or absent for 5 s is logged as fault 167. Intermittent faults at the pedal usually come from a contact that bounces as the detent wears, a connector that loosens with pedal vibration, or a harness that flexes with every pedal stroke until a strand breaks. Because the fault is not permanent, a scan with the car at rest often finds nothing. The driver feels kickdown working on one occasion and not on the next.
- What you may notice
- Kickdown works only sometimes
- Fault not reproducible when stationary
- Likely causes
- LikelyBouncing switch contact due to worn detent
- PossiblePedal connector loosened by vibration
- PossibleWire strands breaking where the harness flexes with the pedal
- Repair
- Easy · Often possible to do yourself.Typical cost: €30 – €400
- Related codes
Explanation from obdex (CC0), exactly as the app shows it. Guidance only; confirm with a workshop.