OBD-II Code · Sensors
P0106
MAP Sensor Range/Performance
Severity
medium
Worth booking. It costs fuel, emissions or comfort until it is fixed.
Can you drive it
Only if running normally
A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety.
Indicative cost (USD)
$80–$250
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor reading erratically.
How a shop works this
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.
Note every code that is set, not just this one.
Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.
Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.
Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.
Confirm the fault is current rather than history.
Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.
Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
That order is what a shop checks first for this code — wiring and connections before the component they run to, because a connector costs nothing to inspect and is a common answer.
If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.
Common symptoms
- Check engine light
- Rough idle
- Poor acceleration
Likely causes
- Faulty MAP sensorMost common
- Vacuum leak
- Carbon buildup on sensor tip
- Clogged reference hose
Read the full diagnostic procedureP0106 means the MAP signal is present and electrically valid but does not correlate with throttle position, RPM, and MAF — the classic example is MAP…
P0106 means the MAP signal is present and electrically valid but does not correlate with throttle position, RPM, and MAF — the classic example is MAP reading 70 kPa at idle when TPS is at 0% and engine speed is 750 RPM, where MAP should be 30-40 kPa. This is a rationality fault and points at vacuum leaks, restricted intake, or a drifted sensor far more often than at a wiring problem.
Cheapest-first ladder
- smoke-test the intake from the throttle body back through the manifold ($30 of smoke or a $200 smoke machine — a single vacuum leak at an intake gasket or PCV hose will set P0106 every time); inspect the PCV system because a stuck-open PCV valve is a calibrated vacuum leak large enough to throw P0106 on most platforms; compare MAP kPa at warm idle to expected — naturally aspirated gas engines should read 28-42 kPa at warm idle depending on cam profile, and 95-101 kPa at WOT/key-on, turbo engines should read 30-45 kPa at idle and 150-250 kPa at boost depending on tune; cross-check MAP against MAF on engines that have both — if MAF says 4 g/s and MAP says 70 kPa at idle, one of them is wrong and freeze-frame plus a known-good comparison will tell you which.
- Do not replace the MAP for P0106 before smoke-testing — intake leaks set P0106 far more often than failed sensors and the customer will be back in two weeks.
Vehicle-specific patterns2005-2010 Chrysler 5.7L Hemi sets P0106 from cracked intake manifold runners around 80-120k miles where the crack pulls atmospheric air past the MAP…
- 2005-2010Chrysler 5.7L Hemi sets P0106 from cracked intake manifold runners around 80-120k miles where the crack pulls atmospheric air past the MAP reference;
- 2007-2013GM 5.3L/6.0L sets P0106 from leaking intake manifold gaskets at the valley plate, common after 100k miles;
- 2007-2014Toyota 2GR-FE V6 (Camry, Highlander, Sienna) sees P0106 from a torn intake air bypass valve (IABV) gasket that creates an unmetered leak directly at the throttle body;
- 2008-2012Ford 3.5L Cyclone EcoBoost sees P0106 from cracked charge-pipe couplers that leak boost pressure past the MAP reference.
Estimated repair$30 to $500.
Look up another code
P0106 — frequently asked
What does a P0106 code mean?
MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensor reading erratically.
What causes a P0106 code?
Common causes: Faulty MAP sensor; Vacuum leak; Carbon buildup on sensor tip; Clogged reference hose.
What are the symptoms of a P0106 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Rough idle; Poor acceleration.
Is it safe to drive with a P0106 code?
Only if running normally. A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety. Estimated repair: $80-$250.
How do I diagnose a P0106 code?
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed. 1. Note every code that is set, not just this one. 2. Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under. 3. Confirm the fault is current rather than history. 4. Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
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