Automotive Q&A

CAN resistance checks: which conditions make a 60-ohm reading misleading?

Review the evidence, add a focused answer, and distinguish confirmed measurements from assumptions.

CAN resistance chec...
 
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[#26]
Topic starter

A 60-ohm DLC reading is often being written as “CAN wiring good.” That ignores asleep versus awake networks, gateways, sub-buses and faults that appear only under movement. We need a short shop note explaining what the reading proves and what it does not.

Which prerequisites and limitations should be included?


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State that power was off, capacitors had discharged and the exact pins and network were identified from the topology. A 60-ohm result only shows that two expected termination paths are visible at that moment; it does not prove signal integrity, splice quality, insulation to power or ground, or branches behind an inactive gateway. Record resistance from each bus leg to power and ground only where the service procedure supports it.

For intermittent faults, add a powered waveform under the failing condition. Resistance and scope tests answer different questions, and neither should be used on the wrong network state.


Topic starter
08/06/2026 8:53 am

We changed the worksheet label from “CAN resistance” to “termination-path check” and added topology, sleep confirmation and measurement point. It stopped several 60-ohm readings from prematurely closing an intermittent network diagnosis.