P0168 fault code: Fuel Temperature Too High

P0168 means “Fuel Temperature Too High” — a fuel and air metering fault in the powertrain.

Can I DIY?

Professional-only boundary. Professional only: hot fuel is a workshop job, not a driveway check.

Do not DIYReviewed page boundary

This is the conservative boundary from the reviewed code record. This page has no frozen site-wide safety grade, so it does not publish a repair route.

What to tell the garage about P0168

Do not drive. Fuel in the tank or rail is reading hotter than the control unit allows. Hot fuel can vapourise and upset metering. This is a temperature-limit fault, not a mixture-trim or oxygen-sensor code.

Take these reviewed, code-specific details with you. They help the garage confirm the fault without turning this page into a repair procedure.

  • Fuel Temperature Too High: Number plate
  • Fuel Temperature Too High: Exact code P0168 and whether fuel smell or vapour was noticed
  • Fuel Temperature Too High: Ambient weather and how long the car had been running
P01xxFuel and air metering
MOT fail riskif the warning light stays on

What does P0168 mean?

P0168 is a generic (SAE standard) powertrain code reported by your car’s engine control unit. It sits in the P01xx block, which covers fuel and air metering. The stored description is “Fuel Temperature Too High”. The code itself tells you which circuit or system tripped the fault — not always the exact part that failed.

Will P0168 fail an MOT?

An illuminated engine management light is a Major defect at MOT (automatic fail) until the fault is repaired and the light stays off.

Before booking your test, check what usually fails on your car: see our MOT pass rates by make and model, built from 33.1 million DVSA tests.

Related guides

Car diagnostic test cost: compare the scopeUK booking marketplaces currently publish diagnostic averages of about £52–£65. Engine management light on: steady or flashing?A steady engine management light means the computer has stored a fault. Drive with caution and get the code read. A flashing light is different — stop when it is safe.
P0100Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit P0101Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance P0102Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Low Input P0103Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit High Input P0104Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Intermittent P0105Manifold Absolute Pressure/Barometric Pressure Circuit P0106Manifold Absolute Pressure/Barometric Pressure Circuit Range/Performance P0107Manifold Absolute Pressure/Barometric Pressure Circuit Low Input

P0168 — quick answers

Is it safe to drive with P0168?

Do not drive. Because we have no verified driving guidance for P0168, do not drive until a garage has ruled out overheated fuel. A fuel-temperature-too-high store is not 'keep going and see'.

Will P0168 fail my MOT?

An illuminated engine management light is a Major defect at MOT (automatic fail) until the fault is repaired and the light stays off.

Fault-code identifiers are standard diagnostic facts. Their explanations and diagnostic guidance on this site are original editorial summaries, not reproduced SAE wording. MOT defect rules reflect the DVSA MOT inspection manual (2026). This page is general guidance for UK drivers, not a substitute for a professional diagnosis.