P0087 fault code: fuel rail pressure too low
Plain-language definition
Fuel Rail/System Pressure - Too Low Bank 1
What does it mean?
Especially in diesel common rail and petrol direct injection engines, a high-pressure pump sends fuel to the fuel rail, the shared pipe that feeds the injectors. A pressure sensor on the rail measures this pressure all the time, and the engine computer tries to keep it at the value it wants for the driving conditions.
P0087 is stored when the measured pressure stays clearly below the requested value for a set time. In other words, fuel may not be reaching the injectors at enough pressure. The problem can come from not enough fuel reaching the pump, the pump being unable to build pressure, or a leak in the system.
When the pressure stays low, the engine may be hard to start or may not start at all, and it may misfire and lose power when accelerating. On many cars the engine computer may limit power in this case; in rare cases you may also notice the engine stalling while you're driving.
How serious is it?
It's a Warning-level code, but you can feel its effects while driving: when fuel pressure is too low, the engine can suddenly lose power or stall.
Severity is a guide; if the warning light is flashing or you notice symptoms while driving, have the car checked at a workshop.
Common general causes
- A clogged fuel filter
- Very little fuel left in the tank, or a weak feed pump in the tank
- Air getting into the fuel line, or a leak on the low-pressure side
- A worn high-pressure pump, or a faulty fuel quantity control valve on the pump
- On some diesel cars, worn injectors returning too much fuel
- The fuel pressure sensor giving wrong readings
The list shows general causes; a workshop finds the actual cause on your car with a check.
Related codes
How does it appear in the 2dakika report?
Fuel Rail/System Pressure - Too Low Bank 1
If the code is read as a confirmed (stored) fault, the report shows it with the "Warning" severity; in pending or past records, codes that don't request the warning light and aren't critical appear as "Info". If the engine computer stored them, the conditions when the fault was recorded (engine temperature, rpm, speed) are shown too.
Read this code with the OBD-X1, and clear it from the app after the repair.
Clearing the code doesn't fix the fault; if the problem persists, the code comes back.