P2600: Coolant Pump A Control Circuit/Open
A generic powertrain (engine and transmission) trouble code, same meaning on every brand.
Check what this pump cools on your car before driving at all. On hybrids it often cools the power electronics - reduced power and real damage risk follow quickly. Any temperature warning: stop and shut down, that is the whole rule.
Symptoms
- Temperature or hybrid system warnings
- Reduced power mode
- Check engine light
- Overheating under load
Likely causes, most common first
- Electric coolant pump circuit open
- Pump motor failed
- Blown fuse or relay
- Connector corrosion
Read P2600 yourself before paying for diagnosis
A basic Bluetooth OBD-II scanner ($20-40) plugs into the port under the dashboard and shows this code with live sensor data on your phone - useful both for confirming the fix and for talking to a shop from an informed position.
What is going on and how it gets diagnosed
P2600 says the computer commands electric coolant pump A and the circuit answers with silence - an open somewhere in fuse, wiring, connector or the pump's own motor. What makes this code serious is what these pumps are typically assigned to: on hybrids, the dedicated cooling loop for the inverter and converter electronics; on turbo engines, coolant circulation for the turbo after shutdown and cabin heat in traffic.
Power electronics tolerate overheating far worse than iron engines do, and hybrids know it - most respond to a dead inverter pump with escalating warnings and power limits rather than quiet suffering, and that response deserves obedience. The diagnosis itself is ordinary electrics: fuse, relay, voltage at the pump connector, then the pump. On several high-volume hybrids this exact pump was a known weak point with extended coverage in some markets, so the recalls-and-complaints block on your car's page here is worth a look before the parts counter.
Repair options and cost
Typical US independent-shop ranges, parts and labor. Dealers run higher; regional labor rates vary.
Owner reports mentioning P2600
“- HEV Overheat warning light came on - Engine overheat light came on - Message instructing to pull the car over immediately came on - OBD II codes P261F and P2600 were observed when the vehicle was scanned - There is a plethora of similar incidents listed for the Make/Model throughout online forums”2016 Hyundai Sonata · May 2023
“While driving the car slows down without me slowing down on the breaks. Car wants to shut down & is vibrating. Car doesn't want to drive past 2000 rpm. I take it to mechanic, he can't find the code. I take to mechanic a 2nd time. I get codes p1326 & p2600. No recalls are found for Sorento but other models there is plenty.”2017 Kia Sorento · Jan 2022
“The engine fails before 100,000 miles. Got an error code of P1326 (Wiring inspection/installation and engine replacement and error code P2600. The car suddenly dropped in MPH. Car is sluggish to accelerate and very difficult to go up hill. Little to no power on acceleration. Problem was identified at an independent service center, after inspection, taken to local dealer. Flashing check engine light came on once issue occurred. The engines in the Hyundai Sonatas are poor at best. Multiple people have needed their engines replaced in a very short time.”2016 Hyundai Sonata · Aug 2021
Show 2 more owner reports
“I get a hev warning telling me to shutdown my car. When this happens my vehival no longer engages the gas part of my motor, the car gives me multiple distracting noises. After turning the car off and back on immediately the gasoline side of my motor is working again.. P2600 pops up on my scanner and the check engine light remains on till about 4 ignition cycles with some drive time. Almost once, and sometimes twice a day for the past three days this has been an issue.”2018 Hyundai Sonata · Sep 2020 · 33,500 mi
“While driving on a highway, the car unexpectedly lost engine power; the car engine did not respond whenever I quickly stepped on the gas pedal; thereby making any quick defensive maneuver impossible. It's as if the car engine was starved for air and became unresponsive for quick acceleration. Dealership determined error code p2600, intake runner control problem. Due to this problem of impaired acceleration getting, on and off major highways was particularly dangerous since quick power was non-existent and avoiding other cars quickly was not possible. Truly a safety issue!”2015 Hyundai Sonata · Dec 2015 · 28,938 mi
Cars that report P2600 most often
Based on mentions of this code in NHTSA owner complaints.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive with P2600?
Check what this pump cools on your car before driving at all. On hybrids it often cools the power electronics - reduced power and real damage risk follow quickly. Any temperature warning: stop and shut down, that is the whole rule.
How much does it cost to fix P2600?
Typical US repair costs range from $20 for the simplest fix (fuse and relay check) to $800 in the worst case. The right number depends on which cause your car has - see the causes list.
Related codes
The codes closest to P2600. They often appear together, and telling them apart is usually what narrows the diagnosis.
Definition per SAE J2012 standard nomenclature. Symptoms, causes and costs are editorial guidance - always confirm with a diagnosis of your specific vehicle.