Fault codeP0097

MODERATE

Intake Air Temperature Sensor 2 Circuit Low

What this code means

Intake Air Temperature Sensor 2 Circuit Low.

P0097 is a generic code: it means the same thing on every make. P0097 belongs to family P00xx — Fuel and air metering, auxiliary emission controls. Its page explains how to read a code and groups all its codes by part.

Type of fault

The control unit reads a voltage on this circuit below its expected range. Usual causes: a wire shorted to ground or broken, a corroded or loose connector, or the component itself. Check the wiring and connector before replacing the part — that is where many of these faults turn out to be.

Intake air temperature sensor

This sensor measures the temperature of the air entering the engine, often built into the airflow sensor or placed in the intake manifold. Cold air is denser: the control unit uses the temperature to adjust fuelling and ignition timing.

What you notice

Often nothing noticeable; sometimes harder cold starts, a slightly higher consumption, or reduced power if the reading claims the air is very hot.

How to check it

Engine cold and parked overnight, the intake air temperature, the coolant temperature and the outside temperature should all read about the same in Klaro. A value stuck at −40 °C or at a very high figure points to an open or short circuit in the wiring rather than to the sensor itself.

Watch it live in Klaro

With an OBD2 adapter plugged in, these live readings show the part at work, when your car reports them:

Intake air temperature
Ambient air temperature
Coolant temperature

What to do

Have it checked this week. The car remains usable, but the fault will not clear itself and will fail the roadworthiness test.

Clearing a code switches the light off but repairs nothing: if the fault remains, the code comes back. Clearing a fault code yourself →

How to read this code

PPowertrain
0standardised code
0Fuel and air metering, auxiliary emission controls
97P0097