Fault codes › Powertrain › Generic (SAE standard) › Control module and its outputs
P0601 Control module memory checksum error
Urgent Risk of damage or of being stranded. Stop, or get it seen, now.
What does P0601 mean?
P0601 is a generic powertrain code, defined by the SAE standard, so it means the same thing on every make and model: control module memory checksum error. It belongs to the control module and its outputs 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 P0601?
Urgent. Have it diagnosed before relying on the car.
Common causes of P0601
- Internal control module fault.
- Interrupted software update.
- Voltage drop during programming.
Symptoms
- Warning lights.
- Limp mode.
- Failure to start.
What to check first
- Module power and earth.
- Reprogramming or replacement by a specialist.
Can I just clear P0601?
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 P0601 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
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.