Infusion pumps · LifeCare PCA family

Hospira LifeCare PCA: troubleshooting and error codes

The ServiceForge knowledge base holds 13 documented symptoms for the Hospira LifeCare PCA, with 13 ranked causes, 4 diagnostic checks with test points and expected values, and 90 error codes. Each symptom below shows its causes and the first check; the rest is one connection away. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Symptoms

Battery fault caution

Battery malfunction: open circuit, over-discharge, or short circuit

Ranked causes

1. Battery defective (open, over-discharged, or shorted) (occasional)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Calibration: Occlusion alarm switch test and adjustment patient safety

Test occlusion detection at specified pressure threshold; adjust pressure setpoint if needed

Ranked causes

1. Occlusion alarm switch not triggering at correct pressure (occasional)

First check

Attach DPM to patient line via three-way stopcock

Test point: Stopcock valve
Expected: DPM connected and stopcock open to air

3 more checks with pass and fail actions, 2 corrective actions, and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Charger fault caution

Battery charger is faulty and cannot charge battery

Ranked causes

1. Charger failure (occasional)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Door improperly secured

Door secured on wrong screen or no operator input for two minutes

Ranked causes

1. Door secured on wrong screen or timeout (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Door left open

Door is left open or unlocked for more than two minutes

Ranked causes

1. Door not secured (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Infusion paused

Infusion stopped by operator pressing START/PAUSE button

Ranked causes

1. Operator pressed START/PAUSE button (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Injector not detected patient safety

Vial is detected but injector is not properly seated in cradle assembly

Ranked causes

1. Improper injector seating (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Low battery patient safety

Operating on battery power with less than 30 minutes of battery life remaining

Ranked causes

1. Battery capacity depleted (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Occlusion detected patient safety

Tubing or delivery line is occluded, blocking fluid flow

Ranked causes

1. Occlusion in delivery path (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Pump stalls and cannot operate patient safety

Pump stalls, cannot be used, suspends communication with external devices, no alarm message displayed

Ranked causes

1. Null character sent by CE or MMU (unknown)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Syringe empty patient safety

Empty vial detected, no medication available for infusion

Ranked causes

1. Empty vial installed (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Syringe not properly loaded patient safety

Syringe (vial and injector) not properly seated in cradle assembly

Ranked causes

1. Improper syringe seating (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Vial not properly loaded patient safety

Injector detected but vial not properly seated in cradle assembly

Ranked causes

1. Improper vial seating (common)

1 corrective action and part numbers are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Error codes

Code	Meaning	Trigger	Severity
`170`	Interrupt Overlap	Interrupt failure	error
`171`	Invalid Interrupt	Invalid or unused interrupt	error
`172`	Stack Error	RAM error	critical
`173`	Task Dead Error	Periodic task or interrupt stopped running	critical
`174`	Kernel Error	Kernel failure	critical
`175`	Watchdog Error	MCU fails to strobe watchdog within timeout	error
`176`	Cancel Timer Error	Timer message cancelled unsuccessfully	error
`200`	Motor Overdelivery Condition	Motor running faster than expected	critical
`201`	Motor Underdelivery Condition	Motor running slower than expected	critical
`202`	Motor Runaway	Motor running without permission	critical
`203`	Excessive Rate	Rate/Mode Mismatches	error
`204`	Mode	Unexpected mode	error
`205`	Motor Step Time Error	Motor step time out of range	error
`206`	Rate	Unexpected rate	error
`207`	Delivery Volume Error	Volume infused out of range	error
`310`	5-Volt Error	Two voltage readings outside 4.7 V - 5.3 V range	critical
`311`	Lithium Battery Error	Lithium battery voltage below minimum	error
`313`	Battery Current Error	Battery charge current exceeded limit	error
`480`	Configuration Data	Failed CRC of pump configuration data	critical
`481`	Infusion Data	Failed CRC of infusion data	critical
`482`	Program Data	Failed CRC of program data	critical
`483`	Flash Checksum Error	Failed checksum at startup or during operation	critical
`484`	Stored Protocol Data	Failed CRC of stored protocols	critical
`485`	Motor State	Invalid rate or restart or bad states/events in motor software	critical
`486`	History Corruption	History data corrupted	error
`487`	Motor Data Error	Failed CRC of motor data	error
`488`	Drug Table Data Error	Failed CRC of drug table data	error
`489`	User Interface Data Error	Failed CRC of saved user interface data	error
`490`	Error Log Data Error	Failed error log checksum	error
`491`	Background Data Error	Inconsistent background data	error
`492`	Switch Data Error	Corrupted switch data	error
`493`	Mirror Data Mismatched	Invalid date and time	error
`494`	UI State Error	User interface state ID out of range	error
`495`	Backlight Data Error	Invalid display data	error
`496`	Vial Manager Data Error	Failed CRC of vial manager data	error
`497`	Power Data Error	Failed CRC of battery charging data	error
`498`	Display Data Error	Invalid display data	error
`499`	Alarm Data Error	Invalid alarm data	error
`550`	Power Down Error	Improper shutdown	error
`551`	Intertask Message Error	Illegal intertask message	error
`552`	Invalid Function Parameter	Invalid parameter data	error
`553`	Invalid Message	Invalid kernel message	error
`554`	Invalid Mode	Invalid user interface mode	error
`555`	Clock Change Error	Invalid date and time during update	error
`556`	Invalid UI State Action	Invalid user interface action code	error
`557`	Invalid Alarm	Illegal alarm message data	error
`558`	Mode Change Error	Illegal mode change message	error
`559`	Invalid UI Stack	User interface stack corrupted or full	error
`560`	Drug Library Access Error	Invalid auto-programming order or invalid CCA index	error
`588`	Drug Table Data Error	Failed CRC of drug table data	error
`620`	RAM Address Error	Address lines stuck high, stuck low, or shorted	critical
`621`	Chip ID Error	Register does not contain expected value	critical
`622`	Clock RAM Error	Data or address communication errors	critical
`623`	External RAM Error	Failed read/write operations on external RAM	critical
`624`	LCD Backlight	Backlight current out of range	error
`625`	Battery Icon LED	Battery icon LED current out of range	error
`626`	Audible Alarm	On or off voltage out of range	error
`627`	LCD Readback Error	Display data does not match RAM data	error
`628`	LED Numeric Display Error	One or more digit segment current out of range	error
`629`	Clock Time Error	RTC and MCU out of synchronization	error
`630`	Screw Rotation Error	Motor steps and screw rotations not in proportion	critical
`631`	LCD Timeout Error	LCD does not acknowledge data within hardware specific time	error
`633`	Print Error	Failed UART loopback test	error
`634`	ADC Voltage Reference Error	Analog level out of range	error
`635`	Stuck Key	Key stuck for more than two minutes	error
`636`	Motor winding excessive current	Motor winding current above 200 mA	critical
`637`	Motor winding open circuit	Motor winding current below 75 mA	critical
`638`	Motor Voltage Error	Motor voltage out of range	error
`639`	Contrast Voltage Error	Contrast voltage out of range	error
`640`	Internal RAM read/write operation failure	Microcontroller RAM self-test	critical
`641`	Occlusion sensor malfunction or misalignment	Occlusion detection during priming or delivery	error
`642`	Empty syringe sensor malfunction	Syringe empty detection test	error
`643`	Injector sensor malfunction	Injector position detection	error
`644`	Watchdog timer circuit failure	Watchdog timer monitoring	critical
`645`	Barcode reader three consecutive read failures	Three failed barcode read attempts	error
`646`	Serial communication chip loopback test failure	UART loopback self-test	critical
`PVT-ALARM`	Alarm circuit defective on MCU PWA	PVT alarm function test	error
`PVT-BACKLIGHT`	LCD backlight circuit defective	PVT backlight test	warning
`PVT-DA`	Delivery accuracy test failure	PVT Delivery Accuracy Test	error
`PVT-DOOR`	Door lock assembly malfunction	PVT door lock test	warning
`PVT-EMPTY VIAL`	Empty syringe detection mechanism failure	PVT empty syringe detection test	error
`PVT-INDICATOR`	Icon display LEDs defective	PVT icon display test	warning
`PVT-KEYPAD`	Keypad membrane or matrix defective	PVT keypad function test	error
`PVT-LCD`	LCD assembly defective or disconnected	PVT LCD test	error
`PVT-LED`	Numeric display LED array defective	PVT numeric display test	error
`PVT-OCCLUSION`	Occlusion detection test failure	PVT Occlusion Test	error
`PVT-PATIENT PENDANT`	Patient pendant assembly not responding	PVT patient pendant communication test	error
`PVT-ROTATION`	Syringe rotation motor mechanism defective	PVT syringe rotation test	error
`PVT-SAFETY`	Electrical safety test failure	PVT Electrical Safety Test	critical
`PVT-SYRINGE`	Mechanism assembly position sensing failure	PVT syringe position test	error

Likely causes and actions for each code are in ServiceForge. Connect ServiceForge to your AI

Community

0 fixes logged by technicians through their AI, with outcomes, for this model.

ServiceForge knowledge base record. Field-unverified unless technicians confirmed it. A teaching summary of the record, not a service manual. Export 2026-10-14.