P0111: Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit Range/Performance
Key takeaways
- P0111 means the intake air temperature (IAT) reading is inside its normal voltage range but doesn't agree with the other temperature sensors or doesn't change the way it should.
- It's safe to drive; most cars run normally, with at most slightly worse fuel economy or a rough cold start.
- A sensor that reads off or responds slowly, a corroded connector and engine software cause it more often than broken wiring.
- A separate IAT sensor costs $50–$200 at a US independent shop; one built into the mass airflow sensor means a $150–$400 MAF assembly.
- Volkswagen has published P0111 diagnostic procedures across the Jetta, Golf, Tiguan and Atlas, and GM and Jeep have engine computer updates that address it.
What P0111 means
The sensor that measures the temperature of the air coming into your engine is giving a reading the computer doesn’t believe. Scanners call it “Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit Range/Performance.” The IAT sensor is a thermistor, and the computer checks it two ways. After the car has sat for hours, the intake air and the coolant should be at about the same temperature, so it compares the two at start-up. While driving, it expects the reading to move as conditions change. If the IAT reading is far off from the others, or stuck at one value, it sets P0111. Unlike P0112 or P0113, the voltage is in range, so the wiring is less likely and the sensor or software more likely.
Is it safe to drive?
Yes. Most cars run normally with P0111. The computer either uses a default air temperature or keeps using the questionable reading, and either way the effect is small: slightly worse fuel economy, perhaps a rougher cold start.
What changes the answer: if P0111 shows up with stalling, reduced power or several other sensor codes at once, the fault may be a shared ground or harness problem that affects more than this sensor. Get that checked soon.
Causes, ranked
| Cause | How you confirm it | Typical cost (US independent shop, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| IAT sensor reading off or responding slowly | After an overnight sit, IAT and coolant temperature in live data differ by more than a few degrees | $50–$200 |
| Connector corroded, loose or with a spread pin | Unplug it and look; reading jumps when the plug is wiggled | $0 DIY reseat; $100–$250 repair |
| Engine computer software (some makes) | Dealer finds a bulletin for your model and engine | $100–$200, often $0 under warranty |
| Failed MAF with built-in IAT sensor | Same comparison, sensor inside the MAF housing | $150–$400 |
| Wiring with high resistance | Voltage drop test on the signal and ground wires | $100–$250 |
| Engine computer stays awake and drains the battery (some GM trucks) | Battery found dead or weak; bulletin applies to your truck | $100–$200, often $0 under the program |
What to check first
- Check the connector at the sensor for a firm lock and clean pins. Start here if the air filter was just changed.
- Compare temperatures on a cold start. After the car sits overnight, IAT, coolant temperature and outside temperature in live data should be within a few degrees of each other. One outlier is your suspect.
- Look up bulletins before buying parts, especially on a Volkswagen, GM truck or Jeep.
- Check the battery if the car has been hard to start or the battery keeps going flat.
- Replace the sensor last, after the connector and software check out.
The bulletins show a clear pattern. Volkswagen has published P0111 procedures in several bulletins covering the 2009–2013 Jetta and Jetta SportWagen, Golf, Tiguan, Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport. GM has a customer satisfaction program for 2021 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks with the 5.3L, where an engine computer calibration keeps it awake and can set related codes; the fix is a reprogram. Jeep has an engine computer update for the 2019 Grand Cherokee. Clearing the code and driving is fine to confirm a repair, not as a fix; P0111 comes back after the next cold soak if the fault is still there.
What it costs
The cheap outcome is a reseated plug or a free software update under warranty. The common outcome is a new IAT sensor at $50–$200. The expensive outcome is a MAF sensor with the IAT built in, $150–$400. A $100–$180 diagnosis that compares the temperature readings first tells you which part is lying before you buy one.
Related codes
P0112 and P0113 are the low and high circuit codes for the same sensor, and P0114 is the intermittent version. When the IAT is inside the MAF, P0101 can appear alongside. If coolant temperature is the reading that’s off instead, you’ll usually see P0116. For what the light means in general, see check engine light on.
What owners report to NHTSA
4 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0111, 1 of them since 2015, across 3 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: power train.
Manufacturer service bulletins that name P0111
29 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P0111, from 6 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:
- VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012), bulletin 10177261: Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Cu…
- VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), bulletin 10177421: Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Cu…
- VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), bulletin 10177864: Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states MIL-on with U0284 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 Customer states MIL-on with P0442 Cu…
- VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS CROSS SPORT (2020, 2021, 2019), bulletin 10180113: Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 "Customer states MIL-on with P11A1/P11A2/P11A3/P11A4/P11A5/P11A6/P11A7…
- VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN (2019, 2020, 2021), bulletin 10180115: Customer states MIL-on with P0496 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0556 MIL-on P04F0 and/or P0441 Customer states oil leak from the engine Customer states MIL-on with P0111 "Customer …
- VOLKSWAGEN GOLF (2020, 2021, 2018), bulletin 10191001: DTC P0111 diagnostics, updated to include Golf model year 2021
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database and manufacturer communications file, snapshots September 2026. A complaint or bulletin that mentions a code is a report about that vehicle, not a statement that the code has one cause.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive with P0111?
Yes. The computer can fall back on a default or calculated air temperature, and most cars drive normally. You may see slightly worse fuel economy, and the car will fail an emissions inspection until the code is fixed.
What's the difference between P0111 and P0113?
P0113 means the signal is stuck at the top of its range, usually an unplugged sensor or broken wire. P0111 means the signal is in range but doesn't make sense, for example reading 30 degrees warmer than the coolant sensor after the car sat overnight. P0111 points more to the sensor or software than to wiring.
Can a dead battery or battery drain cause P0111?
It can on some cars. The computer runs its temperature comparison after the car has sat long enough to cool down. On 2021 Silverado and Sierra 1500 5.3L trucks, GM has a program for an engine computer that stays awake, drains the battery and can set temperature codes.
Will a new air filter fix P0111?
Not by itself, but check the IAT plug while the filter box is open. On many cars the sensor sits in the air box or the intake tube, and a connector knocked loose during a filter change is a common cause of IAT codes.