GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Circuit Description

In order to provide the best possible combination of driveability, fuel economy and emission control, a Closed Loop air/fuel metering system is used. While in a Closed Loop operation, the ECM monitors the heated oxygen sensor signal voltage and adjusts the fuel delivery based on the signal voltage. A change made to the fuel delivery will be indicated by the Long and the Short Term Fuel Trim values. The Short Term Fuel Trim values change rapidly in response to the HO2S signal voltages. These changes fine tune the engine fueling. The Long Term Fuel Trim values change in response to trends in the Short Term Fuel Trim. The Long Term Fuel Trim makes coarse adjustments to the fueling in order to re-center and restore control to the Short Term Fuel Trim. Short and the Long Term Fuel Trim can be monitored with a scan tool. Ideal fuel trim values are around 0 percent. A positive Fuel Trim value indicates that the ECM is adding fuel in order to compensate for a lean condition. A negative Fuel Trim value indicates that the ECM is reducing the amount of fuel in order to compensate for a rich condition. If an excessively Rich or Lean condition is detected, the ECM will set a DTC. The long term (Additive and Multiplicative) fuel trim diagnostic parameter is a calculated value from several of the long term speed load learn cells which are selected based on speed and load.

Conditions for Running the DTC

    • Closed loop operation
    • Fuel trim enabled

Conditions for Setting the DTC

The ECM detects the fuel trim values that are less than -550 milliseconds for additive fuel trim or less than -21 percent for multiplicative fuel trim.

Action Taken When the DTC Sets

    • The ECM will illuminate the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) on the second consecutive drive trip that the diagnostic runs and fails, if the diagnostic fails under the same conditions (the load, the RPM, the temperature, etc.) as the previous ignition cycle that the test ran and failed.
    • The first drive trip that this diagnostic fails (Fail Pending), this information will be stored in the Freeze Frame. Any data previously that was stored in the Freeze Frame will be overwritten by the Freeze Frame data for this DTC. The only exception to this is if a Misfire DTC was already recorded in the Freeze Frame. In this case, the Misfire data stays in the Freeze Frame and the Fuel Trim data is not stored.

Conditions for Clearing the MIL/DTC

       Important: If the last failure was during a non-typical driving condition, the MIL may remain on longer than three drive trips. Review the Freeze Frame for the last failure conditions.

    • The ECM will turn off the MIL after three consecutive drive trips that the diagnostic runs and does not fail within the same conditions that the DTC last failed.
    • A History DTC clears after forty consecutive warm-up cycles if no failures report by this or any other emission related diagnostic.
    • The ECM battery voltage is interrupted.
    • The scan tool clears the MIL/DTC.

Diagnostic Aids

Refer to Symptoms for the Intermittents.

Test Description

The number(s) below refer to the step number(s) on the diagnostic table:

  1. Determines whether the fault is present.

  2. Using the Freeze Frame data may aid in locating an intermittent condition. If the DTC cannot be duplicated, review the information in the Freeze Frame. Try to operate the vehicle within the same freeze frame conditions (the RPM, the MAF, the vehicle speed, the temperature, etc.) that were noted. This process may help in order to recreate the malfunction.

  3. If DTC P0175 is also set indicates both banks of the engine are operating rich. Inspect items that would cause both banks to operate rich.

DTC P0172 - Fuel Trim System Rich Bank 1

Step

Action

Value(s)

Yes

No

1

Did you perform the Powertrain On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) System check?

--

Go to Step 2

Go to Powertrain On Board Diagnostic (OBD) System Check

2

Important: If any DTCs are set (Except P0172 and P0175), refer to those DTCs before proceeding with this diagnostic.

  1. Install the scan tool.
  2. Allow the engine to run at the normal operating temperature.
  3. The fuel system is in Closed Loop.
  4. Use a scan tool in order to monitor the (RH) short term and the long term fuel trim for bank 1.

Are both parameters less negative than the specified value?

-95%

Go to Step 3

Go to Step 4

3

  1. Turn on the ignition with the engine off.
  2. Review the Freeze Frame data for this DTC and note the parameters.
  3. Clear the DTCs.
  4. Turn off the ignition for 15 seconds.
  5. Start the engine.
  6. Operate the vehicle within the conditions required for this diagnostic to run, and as close to the conditions recorded in Freeze Frame as possible. Refer to Conditions for Running the DTC.
  7. Check for any DTCs.

Is this DTC set?

--

Go to Step 4

Refer to Diagnostic Aids

4

Is DTC P0175 also set?

--

Go to Step 5

Go to Step 6

5

Visually/physically inspect the following items:

    • A collapsed air intake duct
    • The air filter element for being restricted. Refer to Air Induction System
    • The MAF sensor for being installed in the proper direction and for foreign objects blocking the inlet screen. Refer to Mass Airflow Sensor Replacement
    • For fuel in the fuel pressure regulator hose. Refer to Alcohol/Contaminants-in-Fuel Diagnosis .

       Important: When the fuel system check is finished, return to the beginning of this table.

Was a problem found and corrected?

--

Go to Step 8

Refer to Fuel System Diagnosis

6

Inspect the injectors for leaking (Bank 1), refer to Alcohol/Contaminants-in-Fuel Diagnosis .

Was a problem found and corrected?

--

Go to Step 8

Go to Step 7

7

Replace the malfunctioning HO2S. Refer to HO2S replacement.

Is the action complete?

--

Go to Step 8

--

8

  1. Clear the DTCs with the scan tool.
  2. Turn off the ignition for 15 seconds.
  3. Operate the vehicle with the conditions that are required for this diagnostic to run. Refer to Conditions for Running the DTC.
  4. Check for any DTCs.

Is this DTC set?

--

Go to Step 2

Go to Step 9

9

Were there any additional DTCs noted during the Powertrain OBD System Check that have not been diagnosed?

--

Go to the applicable DTC table

The System is OK