Error code · Trucks: SPN codes

SPN 1485 — Engine control unit main relay

Don’t put off the repair

A fault code doesn’t yet mean the unit or sensor itself is faulty: often it’s the plug and connector leading to it.

What you can do yourself

  1. The main relay powers the engine control unit and sensors once the ignition is switched on.
  2. First, on your own: check the relay and its fuse. You can swap it with an identical working relay and see whether the code goes away.
  3. FMI 3, 4, 5 — an open or short in the relay coil circuit.

Stop and don’t drive on if:

  • The Check Engine light is flashing
  • The temperature gauge is in the red or the overheating light is on
  • The red oil pressure light is on
  • Smoke from under the bonnet, a burning or petrol smell
  • Strong jerking, knocking from the engine, or the car barely moves

Add the FMI — the second number of the code. It shows what exactly is wrong with the parameter.

Source: SAE J1939-71: J-1939 SA/SPN/FMI Descriptions (static.nhtsa.gov, MC-10141869)

The explanation comes from the error code reference in the AvtoElektrik PRO app.

The second number, FMI: what exactly is wrong

A truck code is two numbers: SPN (which part) and FMI (what is wrong with it). Tap your FMI and the app opens the meaning of that exact code.

Need a mechanic’s help?

Couldn’t fix it yourself? Oleg, an auto electrician, does computer diagnostics and repairs: he comes out anywhere in Almaty or sees you at his workshop.

Want to figure it out yourself?

Oleg’s course “Car computer diagnostics with a scan tool”: how to hook up a scanner, read codes and live data, and use them to find the cause. The first lessons are free.

Scan tool diagnostics course →

Nearby codes

All codes in Trucks: SPN codes →

Who keeps this reference

The reference is kept by Oleg Dmitriev, an auto electrician from Almaty with 26 years of experience: computer diagnostics of cars and trucks, repair of control units (ECUs). Can’t find the cause? Message him.