P0101 The mass air flow sensor is reporting a figure the engine computer does not believe for the conditions
36 owner reports and 433 manufacturer filings across 126 model years from Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler and others.
Where P0101 shows up
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsShowing the 25 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.
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P0101 by make
The same record, one make at a time: the model years, bulletins and owner reports that name P0101 on that maker’s vehicles.
What it gets filed under
What owners said
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners’ 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.
An OBD-II scan on October 30, 2026 at 67,484 miles recorded stored, pending and permanent codes P17F1 (CVT judder, clutch A hydraulic pressure), P0101 and C1130
On 7/30/26, the Check Engine light came on and has stayed illuminated w/ code P0101 populating on the obdii reader
My vehicle over the last 3-4 years has been showing P0101 code errors, resulting in issues with idle, performance, and fuel economy
P0101 code p0507 code and it has left me almost in an accident on the highway and now has left me stranded!
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)
433 manufacturer filings name P0101. Start with what the maker wrote down.
A code names the test that failed, not the part. A bulletin that names it is often a diagnosis someone has already written down — quote its number at the service desk.
Manufacturer filings that name it
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsService bulletins and campaigns whose filed summary names P0101.
- TSB 23-2369 Service bulletin2023-11-23 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission — Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)
- Some 2024 Mustang vehicles built on or before 5-Oct-2023 and equiped with a 5.0L engine may exhibit an illuminated MIL with DTC P0101 and/or P010B in the powertrain control module (PCM). This may be due to the software level of the PCM. To correct this condition, perform the Service Procedure below to reprogram the PCM to the latest software level via the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS).
- 0901123 Service bulletin2023-06-08 · Electrical System
- Turbo to Charge Air Cooler Quick Connect Loose Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination. Upon further investigation the technician may find that the one or more of the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) have been set: ? P0101 - Mass Air Flow Sensor Circuit Performance. ? P0236 - Turbocharger/Supercharger Boost Pressure Sensor Performance. Customers may also
- NTB23-006 Service bulletin2023-01-18 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- MIL ON WITH DTC P0101 AND/OR P010B STORED IN THE ECM SERVICE INFORMATION If the MIL is ON and DTC P0101 (MAF SEN/CIRCUIT-B1) and/or DTC P010B (MAF SEN/CIRCUIT-B2) is stored in the ECM on an APPLIED VEHICLE, follow the information in this bulletin along with the ESM to complete the required repairs.
- ITB23-001 Service bulletin2023-01-18 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- MIL ON WITH DTC P0101 AND/OR P010B STORED IN THE ECM SERVICE INFORMATION If the MIL is ON and DTC P0101 (MAF SEN/CIRCUIT-B1) and/or DTC P010B (MAF SEN/CIRCUIT-B2) is stored in the ECM on an APPLIED VEHICLE, follow the information in this bulletin along with the ESM to complete the required repairs.
- 22-NA-224 Service bulletin2022-11-04 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- This service bulletin provides a repair procedure to correct a customer concern of Reduced Engine Power, Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated - DTCs P0101, P0172, P0299, P0506, and/or P1101 Set.
- PIE0681A Service bulletin2022-06-08 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- This engineering information (EI) closure ends the need for further information from the field in regards to the Service Engine Soon (SES) lamp illuminated on the driver information center (DIC) and DTC P0101, U060F and/or U1346 Set.
What P0101 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIThe 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 standardCan I keep driving with P0101 stored?
Nobody can answer that from the code alone, and a site that does is guessing. A steady light means a fault was logged and the car should be checked soon; a flashing light means a severe misfire — slow down and get it seen as soon as possible, because severe misfire can quickly damage the catalytic converter. 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.