Faulty charge air cooler coolant temperature sensor with an internal short; Signal wire chafed or shorted to ground; Water or corrosion in the sensor connector pulling the signal low; Damaged or pushed-back terminals in the sensor or control unit connector; Sensor reference supply fault shared with other sensors; Fault inside the engine control unit.

P00E0

Charge Air Cooler Coolant Temperature Sensor A Circuit Low.

Generic
Powertrain
Generic code
Medium severity

How this code is built

P: SystemPowertrain
0: Defined bySAE, the same on every car
0: AreaFuel and air metering, auxiliary emission controls
E0: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

P00E0 means the engine control unit has seen the signal from charge air cooler coolant temperature sensor 'A' fall below its expected voltage range. This sensor sits in the separate coolant circuit of a liquid-cooled charge air cooler (water-to-air intercooler). A low voltage usually points to a short to ground in the wiring or an internal sensor fault, and the control unit may read it as an implausibly high temperature.

Symptoms

Engine warning light on
Reduced power or limp mode as the control unit limits boost
Charge air cooler pump or cooling fan running constantly or behaving oddly
Poor performance or hesitation under load
Unusually high or implausible charge air coolant temperature on a scan tool

Possible causes

Faulty charge air cooler coolant temperature sensor with an internal shortlikely
Signal wire chafed or shorted to groundlikely
Water or corrosion in the sensor connector pulling the signal lowpossible
Damaged or pushed-back terminals in the sensor or control unit connectorpossible
Sensor reference supply fault shared with other sensorspossible
Fault inside the engine control unitrare

How to diagnose

Read all stored codes and freeze frame data, noting coolant and intake air temperatures when the fault set, and check for related pump or sensor codes
Look at the live temperature reading of the sensor with the engine cold; it should be close to ambient and intake air temperature, not extremely hot
Inspect the sensor, its wiring and connector for damage, chafing, coolant leaks, moisture and corrosion
Unplug the sensor with the ignition on and watch the reading; if it moves to a fault or open-circuit value, the wiring to the control unit is probably sound and the sensor is suspect
Check the sensor resistance against the manufacturer's temperature table for your model
With the ignition off and the connector unplugged, test the signal wire for a short to ground and the reference wire for continuity, following the wiring diagram for your engine
Check the sensor reference supply voltage and ground at the connector
Confirm the charge air cooler circuit coolant level and pump operation, as the layout varies by model and engine

How to fix

Replace the charge air cooler coolant temperature sensor if its resistance is out of specification or it has an internal short
Repair or replace the wiring that is chafed or shorted to ground
Clean, dry and repair the connector, or replace damaged terminals, and seal it properly
Repair the reference supply or ground fault if it affects the sensor circuit
Replace or repair the control unit only after all wiring and sensor tests have proved good
Clear the codes and road test to confirm the fault does not return

Can I keep driving?

Medium severity

The car can usually be driven short distances, but the control unit may reduce power and boost to protect the engine. Have it checked soon, as the cooling circuit may not be controlled properly and the fault could worsen.

Guide written by AI from the code's definition. Confirm with a diagnosis before replacing parts.