What does it mean?
C1141 is a Chassis (ABS, traction control, steering) fault code. It indicates: ABS Hydraulic Valve Power Relay Circuit Short to Battery . This is a standardised OBD-II code. The technical definition is the same regardless of the make or model of vehicle, although specific causes and symptoms can vary between vehicles.
Symptoms
- ABS and stability control lamps on
- Valve block or relay stays energised with the ignition off, sometimes with a faint buzz
- Battery drains while the vehicle is parked
- Relay or connector becomes hot, occasionally with a smell of hot plastic
- ABS does not regulate during emergency braking
- ABS fuse blows once the overheated circuit fails
Likely causes
- Relay control wire chafed onto a live feed inside the harness
- Relay contacts welded closed so the valve block stays energised
- Moisture or corrosion bridging a live pin to the relay circuit in the connector
- Harness damaged at the fuse box or along the inner wing where heavy feeds run
- Incorrect repair or accessory wiring connected into the ABS supply
- Shorted relay driver inside the ABS control module holding the output high
How to fix it
- Remove the relay and check whether the circuit still shows battery voltage
- Unplug the ABS module connector and measure the control pin for voltage with the key on
- If voltage remains with the module unplugged, the fault is in the wiring, not the module
- Inspect the harness from the fuse box to the modulator for melted insulation and chafe points
- Open, dry and clean the connectors, checking for corrosion between adjacent pins
- Repair the shorted wire and replace any heat damaged relay or connector
- Replace and code the ABS module only if its own output holds the circuit high