Fault codes › Powertrain › Generic (SAE standard) › Vehicle speed, idle control and inputs
P0562 System voltage low
Needs attention Have it looked at soon. The car is usually driveable with care in the meantime.
What does P0562 mean?
P0562 is a generic powertrain code, defined by the SAE standard, so it means the same thing on every make and model: system voltage low. It belongs to the vehicle speed, idle control and inputs group of codes.
A control module stores the code when something it watches stays outside what it expects for long enough. On its own the code says which system complained, not which part has failed — the causes below, most likely first, are where to start.
Is it safe to drive with P0562?
Needs attention. You may lose electrical systems in traffic — get the charging system checked now.
Common causes of P0562
- Failing alternator.
- Slipping or broken belt.
- Bad battery or earth strap.
Symptoms
- Dim lights.
- Warning lights.
- Slow cranking.
What to check first
- Charging voltage at idle and 2000 rpm.
- Belt condition.
- Battery health.
Can I just clear P0562?
You can, and the light goes out — but a fault that is still there sets the code again, often within a drive or two. Clearing also erases the freeze frame (what the engine was doing when the code was stored) and resets the emissions readiness monitors, so an MOT, smog or inspection test will wait until they have run again. Fix the cause first, then clear it, then watch whether it returns.
Read and clear P0562 from your iPhone with OBDTrip
Plug a Bluetooth OBD-II adapter into the car and OBDTrip reads every stored, pending and permanent code, explains each one in plain English like this, shows what the engine was doing when it was set, and clears the check engine light once the fault is fixed. It keeps a history of when each code comes back, and records every drive on its own from then on.
Needs a Bluetooth Low Energy adapter such as the Vgate iCar Pro — which adapters work with iPhone. Reading and clearing codes is part of an OBDTrip subscription.
Related codes
- P0500 Vehicle speed sensor
- P0505 Idle air control system
- P0520 Engine oil pressure sensor circuit
- P0563 System voltage high
General guidance from OBDTrip's fault-code catalogue, not a diagnosis of your car. When a code points to brakes, steering, overheating or a flashing check engine light, have the car looked at before driving on.