Battery Power Relay Circuit Short To Battery
B1294 — Battery Power Relay Circuit Short To Battery. It is a medium-severity fault: you can usually keep driving for short distances. The most common cause is short to battery voltage in the relay control wiring.
"Not urgent today, but it won't fix itself either."
B1294 is a body (B-series) manufacturer-specific diagnostic trouble code indicating that the control module has detected an electrical short to battery voltage in the battery power relay control circuit. The battery power relay supplies switched power to one or more electrical systems, and the module monitors its control wire. When the module commands the relay off but still senses battery voltage (or sees voltage where it should not be), it interprets this as a short to battery and sets B1294. In practical terms, the affected relay may stay energized, supply power when it should not, or behave erratically. For the driver, this can mean an electrical accessory or system that does not switch off correctly, intermittent operation, accelerated battery drain if a circuit stays live, or a warning light. Because the relay can remain powered, the fault may also cause overheating of the relay or connected component. The exact systems affected depend on the vehicle, but the underlying issue is consistent: the relay control circuit is seeing unwanted battery voltage and the module has flagged the abnormal condition.
- Affected electrical system or accessory does not turn off properly
- Relay stays energized or operates intermittently
- Unexpected battery drain or dead battery overnight
- Warning light or message on the dashboard
- Erratic operation of the powered circuit
- Relay or connected component running warm
| # | Cause |
|---|---|
| 01 | Short to battery voltage in the relay control wiring |
| 02 | Chafed or damaged wiring harness contacting a power source |
| 03 | Faulty or internally stuck battery power relay |
| 04 | Corroded or shorted relay connector or terminals |
| 05 | Moisture intrusion in the connector or fuse/relay box |
| 06 | Failed control module driver circuit |
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Coming soonDealership car, motorbike, scootervehicles for saleNo technical service bulletins or recalls currently reference B1294. This section updates automatically when manufacturers publish related bulletins.
YES, WITH CAUTION — get it diagnosed as soon as possible.