Code Definition

P1179 — Heated Oxygen Sensor 1 bank 1 pump current shorted to ground

System: Powertrain  |  Type: Manufacturer-Specific  |  Make: Volkswagen

About P1179

P1179 is a manufacturer-specific powertrain diagnostic trouble code recorded for Volkswagen vehicles. It belongs to the P-prefix family of codes, which covers engine, transmission, emissions, or fuel-system faults.

When P1179 is stored, the module has detected a short-circuit (voltage pulled to ground or to supply) in the monitored circuit; a bank-specific fault, meaning it applies only to one cylinder bank of a multi-bank engine; and a sensor-related fault — the reported value from the named sensor is out of spec.

Scanning & clearing: A generic OBD-II scan tool will usually read and clear powertrain (P) codes. For live data, freeze-frame capture, and bi-directional tests you may need a more capable scan tool that supports the vehicle's ECM protocol.

P1179 is a manufacturer-specific code. The same code string on a different make may have a different meaning. Always confirm the code's definition against the vehicle's service information for the specific make and model under test.

Code Information

The bank 1 upstream oxygen sensor is a wideband, or broadband, sensor containing a Nernst measuring cell and an oxygen pump cell. The Engine Control Module (ECM) drives a precisely controlled current through the pump cell to move oxygen ions into or out of the measuring chamber, holding it at stoichiometric, and the magnitude and direction of that current is what allows the ECM to read the exact air fuel ratio across a wide range. DTC P1179 is set when the ECM detects that the pump current line for bank 1 sensor 1 is shorted to ground, so the current it commands is being dumped to earth and th...

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