What Does C1961 Mean?
The lighting or body control module has detected an electrical fault in the park lamp relay coil circuit — specifically, the coil circuit appears open or has excessively high resistance. The park lamp relay controls the parking lights, which include the front marker lights, tail lights, and license plate lights when the parking light switch is activated. The driver may notice parking lights not illuminating, or they may work intermittently.
Common Causes
35%
Failed park lamp relay with an open coil winding
25%
Open circuit in the wiring from the control module to the relay coil
20%
Corroded or loose relay socket causing poor contact with the relay coil pins
10%
Blown fuse in the relay coil control circuit
10%
Body control module internal driver circuit failure on the relay output
Diagnostic Steps
1
Locate the park lamp relay — check the fuse/relay box diagram in the owner's manual or service manual. Remove the relay and inspect it visually for burn marks or damage.
2
Using a multimeter, measure the relay coil resistance across the coil terminals (usually pins 85 and 86). Typical relay coil resistance is 50-100 ohms. An infinite reading confirms an open coil — replace the relay.
3
If the relay coil tests good, check for control voltage at the relay socket. With the parking lights commanded on, the control module should provide ground (or voltage, depending on the circuit) to one coil pin, while the other should have battery voltage through a fuse. Verify both are present.
4
If the control signal is missing, check the wiring from the body control module to the relay socket. Also check the fuse protecting the relay coil circuit.
5
Try swapping the park lamp relay with a known-good relay of the same type from another socket in the fuse box. If the parking lights work with the swap, the original relay was faulty.
Estimated Repair Cost
$10 - $150
Parts + labor, varies by vehicle and location
The lighting or body control module has detected an electrical fault in the park lamp relay coil circuit — specifically, the coil circuit appears open or has excessively high resistance. The park lamp relay controls the parking lights, which include the front marker lights, tail lights, and license ...
The most common cause of C1961 (Park Lamp Relay Coil Circuit Failure) is: Failed park lamp relay with an open coil winding
Typical repair costs for C1961 range from $10 to $150, depending on the vehicle, location, and whether you do it yourself or go to a shop.
Parking lights may not function, reducing vehicle visibility when parked on roadways at night. If the parking lights share a relay with the tail lights, the rear of the vehicle may be dark, creating a collision hazard. Verify headlights and tail lights still function on the headlight switch. Repair soon, especially if driving at night.
Start by connecting an OBD2 scanner to read the code and any freeze frame data. Then follow the diagnostic steps specific to C1961 to identify the root cause.
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Quick Info
Category
Chassis
System
Exterior Lighting
Difficulty
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