P00AE
Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit Intermittent Bank 2.
- Generic
- Powertrain
- Generic code
- Low severity
How this code is built
- P
- SystemPowertrain
- 0
- Defined bySAE, the same on every car
- 0
- AreaFuel and air metering, auxiliary emission controls
- AE
- FaultThe specific fault in that area
What it means
P00AE means the engine control unit saw the signal from intake air temperature sensor 1 on bank 2 drop out, jump or move implausibly, then return to normal. It is an intermittent circuit fault, so the problem may not be present when the car is checked. Bank 2 is the side of a V or flat engine without cylinder 1, and sensor numbering and location vary by model.
Symptoms
- Engine warning light on
- Occasional rough running or hesitation
- Poor fuel economy
- Hard starting or longer cranking when cold
- Intermittent loss of power or flat spots under load
- No obvious symptoms in some cases
Possible causes
- Loose, corroded or contaminated connector at the bank 2 intake air temperature sensorlikely
- Chafed, stretched or broken wiring between the sensor and the control unit, often where it flexes or touches hot partslikely
- Failing intake air temperature sensor with an internal intermittent faultlikely
- Water ingress or oil contamination in the sensor or connectorpossible
- Poor sensor ground or damaged reference voltage supply shared with other sensorspossible
- Faulty control unit input circuitrare
How to diagnose
- Read all stored and pending codes and note the freeze frame data, including engine temperature, load and speed when the fault set
- Check live data for intake air temperature on both banks and compare with ambient and coolant temperature on a cold engine; the readings should be close
- Inspect the sensor, connector and wiring harness for damage, corrosion, water, oil, chafing and poor terminal tension
- With the engine running, wiggle the connector and harness while watching live intake air temperature for spikes or dropouts
- Disconnect the sensor and check the reference voltage and ground at the harness side against the manufacturer's specification
- Measure the sensor resistance and compare it with the manufacturer's resistance-temperature figures, warming it gently to check it changes smoothly
- Check harness continuity and insulation to the control unit for opens, shorts to ground or shorts to voltage, following the wiring diagram for that model
- Clear the code and road test while monitoring live data to confirm the fault has gone
How to fix
- Clean and secure the connector, repairing or replacing any damaged terminals
- Repair or replace the damaged section of wiring harness, with properly sealed and insulated joints
- Replace the bank 2 intake air temperature sensor if it reads erratically or fails the resistance check
- Dry out and seal the connector, and fix the source of any water or oil ingress
- Repair the faulty ground or reference supply circuit found during testing
- Only after all wiring and the sensor are proven good, diagnose and repair the control unit input as the manufacturer advises
Can I keep driving?
Low severity
The car can normally be driven while you arrange a repair, as the control unit will use a default air temperature value. Book it in soon, especially if you notice poor running or starting, as the fuelling may be less accurate.
Guide written by AI from the code's definition. Confirm with a diagnosis before replacing parts.