Diagnostic Aids

An intermittent problem can be caused by:

• Poor connections.
• Misrouted harness.
• Rubbed through wire insulation.
• Broken wire inside the insulation.
• The duct work at the MAF sensor for leaks.
• An engine vacuum leak.
• The PCV system for vacuum leaks.
• An incorrect PCV valve.
• The engine oil dip stick not fully seated.
• The engine oil fill cap loose or missing.
• Poor connection at PCM: inspect harness connectors for backed out terminals, improper mating, broken locks, improperly formed or damaged terminals, and poor terminal to wire connection.
• Damaged harness: inspect the wiring harness for damage. If the harness appears to be okay, observe the MAF display on the Tech 2 while moving connectors and wiring harnesses related to the sensor.
• Plugged intake air duct or filter element.
• A wide-open throttle acceleration from a stop should cause the mass air flow displayed on a Tech 2 to increase from about 3-6 g/s at idle to 100 g/s or greater at the time of the 1-2 shift. If not, check for a restriction.

A change in the display will indicate the location of the fault. If DTC P0101 cannot be duplicated, the information included in the Failure Records data can be useful in determining vehicle mileage since the DTC was set. If it is determined that the DTC occurs intermittently, performing the DTC 0101 diagnostic procedures may isolate the cause of the fault.