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Diagnostic trouble code

P0101

35 owner reports and 433 manufacturer filings across 126 model years from Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler and others.

PowertrainGeneric OBD-II code433 manufacturer filings35 owner reports

Where P0101 shows up

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints
Model yearFiled underBulletinsOwner reports
2019 Chevrolet MalibuEngine And Engine Cooling141
2019 GMC TerrainEngine And Engine Cooling141
2019 Chevrolet EquinoxEngine And Engine Cooling14
2019 Nissan KicksElectrical System67
2016 Volkswagen Golf / GTIFuel System, Other11
2020 Chevrolet EquinoxEngine And Engine Cooling9
2020 GMC TerrainEngine And Engine Cooling9
2016 Nissan AltimaEngine And Engine Cooling81
2018 Nissan KicksEngine27
2017 Nissan RogueEquipment81
2020 Chevrolet MalibuEngine And Engine Cooling7
2020 Nissan KicksEngine16
2018 Nissan VersaEquipment7
2021 Chevrolet EquinoxEngine And Engine Cooling6
2021 Chevrolet MalibuEngine And Engine Cooling6
2017 Chevrolet SilveradoEquipment6
2017 GMC SierraEquipment6
2021 GMC TerrainEngine And Engine Cooling6
2017 Infiniti Q50Engine And Engine Cooling6
2016 Infiniti Q50Electrical System6
2017 Infiniti Q60Engine And Engine Cooling6
2019 Nissan AltimaEquipment51
2017 Cadillac CTSElectrical System5
2016 Cadillac CTSElectrical System5
2017 Chevrolet CamaroElectrical System5
2016 Chevrolet CamaroElectrical System5
2022 GMC TerrainPower Train5
2018 Infiniti Q50Electrical System5
2018 Infiniti Q60Engine And Engine Cooling5
2018 Nissan PathfinderElectrical System41
2017 Nissan SentraEquipment5
2022 Chevrolet EquinoxStructure4
2018 Chevrolet EquinoxPower Train4
2022 Chevrolet MalibuPower Train4
2018 Chevrolet MalibuStructure4
2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HDEquipment4
2016 Chrysler 200Electrical System4
2018 GMC Sierra 3500HDEquipment4
2018 GMC TerrainStructure4
2019 Infiniti Q50Engine And Engine Cooling4
2019 Infiniti Q60Engine And Engine Cooling4
2019 Infiniti QX60Electrical System4
2018 Infiniti QX60Engine And Engine Cooling4
2017 Infiniti QX60Electrical System4
2018 Nissan AltimaEquipment4
2017 Nissan AltimaEquipment4
2018 Nissan MaximaEngine And Engine Cooling4
2017 Nissan MaximaEngine And Engine Cooling4
2016 Nissan MaximaEngine And Engine Cooling4
2018 Nissan MuranoEquipment4
2017 Nissan MuranoEngine And Engine Cooling4
2016 Nissan MuranoEquipment4
2019 Nissan PathfinderElectrical System4
2018 Nissan RogueEngine And Engine Cooling4
2018 Nissan SentraEquipment4
2020 Nissan VersaElectrical System13
2017 Buick EnvisionElectrical System3
2016 Buick EnvisionElectrical System3
2017 Buick RegalElectrical System3
2016 Buick RegalElectrical System3

Showing the 60 model years where P0101 appears most; it is on file for 126 in total.

A model year appears here because the code is named in its record, not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are mentions in the federal files, not failure rates — nobody publishes the denominator.

What it gets filed under

Engine And Engine Cooling 129Electrical System 122Equipment 73Power Train 37Structure 22Engine 22
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What owners said

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Owners’ own words, one per nameplate, scrubbed of anything identifying. These are unverified reports filed with NHTSA — they are what was said, not a finding that it was true.

On 7/30/26, the Check Engine light came on and has stayed illuminated w/ code P0101 populating on the obdii reader
2018 Nissan PathfinderAug 7, 2026NHTSA owner report
My vehicle over the last 3-4 years has been showing P0101 code errors, resulting in issues with idle, performance, and fuel economy
2020 Nissan KicksJul 15, 2026NHTSA owner report
P0101 code p0507 code and it has left me almost in an accident on the highway and now has left me stranded!
2023 Nissan RogueMay 25, 2026NHTSA owner report
Multiple diagnostic codes appear repeatedly, including P0299 (turbo underboost), P0101 (mass air flow performance), P1101 (intake airflow performance), and P0506 (idle control RPM too low)
2019 Chevrolet MalibuNov 25, 2025NHTSA owner report
Engineering Investigation: On both occasions, the dealerships specifically noted that the issue (DTC P0101 and associated warnings/power loss) was "under investigation under Nissan Engineers." Technical Service Bulletin (TSB): Nissan has…
2020 Nissan VersaNov 3, 2025NHTSA owner report

Manufacturer filings that name it

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Service bulletins and campaigns whose filed summary names P0101. Quoting the document number at a service desk is often the fastest route to a diagnosis someone has already written down.

What P0101 means

Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-II

The mass air flow sensor is reporting a figure the engine computer does not believe for the conditions.

A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. It is the starting point of a diagnosis, not its conclusion — the same code has several possible causes and the cheap one is not always right.

Common questions about P0101

Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standard

Can I keep driving with P0101 stored?

Nobody can answer that from the code alone, and a site that does is guessing. A steady light generally means the fault was logged and the vehicle is in a reduced-risk mode; a flashing light means stop soon, because a misfiring engine can destroy a catalytic converter in minutes. The safe read of this page is the mileage and the components, not permission.

Does a code mean the car is recalled?

No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN, and none of them are triggered by a scan tool. If you want to know whether an open recall applies to one specific vehicle, check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — that is the only source that settles it.

Why do the counts here differ from other sites?

Because these are not estimates. Every number on this page is a count of documents in NHTSA's own files: manufacturer communications that name the code in their filed summary, and owner complaints that name it in the narrative. We do not model, weight or extrapolate them.

Will clearing the code fix it?

Clearing turns the light off and erases the freeze-frame data a technician would have used to work out what happened. If the condition is still there the code returns, usually within a few drive cycles, and the diagnosis now starts from less information than before.