OBD-II Code · Powertrain
P0507
Idle Air Control — RPM Higher Than Expected
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)
$50–$400
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
Idle speed higher than commanded.
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
- High idle
- Check engine light
- Hard to stall during shift to D
Likely causes
- Vacuum leakMost common
- Dirty throttle body
- Failed IAC valve (older systems)
- Throttle adaptation needed
Read the full diagnostic procedureP0507 sets when actual idle RPM exceeds target by 200 RPM or more with the IAC commanded fully closed, meaning the engine is getting more air than it…
P0507 sets when actual idle RPM exceeds target by 200 RPM or more with the IAC commanded fully closed, meaning the engine is getting more air than it should at idle.
It is the second most-searched idle code and the cause hierarchy is well-established
vacuum leak first (roughly 60 percent of cases), dirty throttle body or IAC second (25 percent), TPS adaptation needing reset third (10 percent), and actual sensor/valve failure last. Cheapest-first diagnosis: smoke-test the intake from the throttle body to the valve covers, looking at PCV, brake booster, EVAP purge, intake manifold gasket sealing surfaces, and any cracked vacuum lines. A leak as small as 0.5 mm at the brake booster hose will lift idle by 200 to 400 RPM. With no leak found, scan IAC steps at warm idle, a P0507 vehicle reads 0 steps with elevated RPM, which means the IAC has zero authority left and the air is bypassing it. Clean the throttle body, inspect the throttle plate for a stuck-open condition, and run the manufacturer's idle relearn. On drive-by-wire vehicles, this code becomes a throttle-adaptation reset task instead. The expensive misdiagnosis is replacing the throttle body assembly when a $4 vacuum cap or a $12 PCV grommet fixes it.
Vehicle-specific patterns1999 to 2007 GM 4.8L/5.3L/6.0L Vortec sets P0507 from cracked PCV hoses or a leaking upper intake gasket, same TSB 06-06-04-037 as P0506.
- 1999to 2007 GM 4.8L/5.3L/6.0L Vortec sets P0507 from cracked PCV hoses or a leaking upper intake gasket, same TSB 06-06-04-037 as P0506.
- 2002to 2008 Subaru EJ25 (Outback, Forester, Legacy) sets P0507 after throttle body cleaning if you skip the idle/throttle relearn procedure, Subaru TSB 11-110-09 covers the relearn (key on, accelerator pedal cycles, 10-minute idle stabilization).
- 2005to 2014 VW/Audi 2.0T (EA113 and EA888) sets P0507 from a carbon-fouled throttle body and requires a throttle adaptation via VCDS or OBDeleven (basic settings, channel 060 or 098 depending on ECU).
- 2003to 2009 Toyota 1MZ-FE and 2GR-FE V6 (Camry, Highlander, Sienna) sets P0507 from a sticking ETC throttle plate, Toyota TSB EG009-09 covers the throttle body cleaning and relearn.
Estimated repair$20 to $480.
Look up another code
P0507 — frequently asked
What does a P0507 code mean?
Idle speed higher than commanded.
What causes a P0507 code?
Common causes: Vacuum leak; Dirty throttle body; Failed IAC valve (older systems); Throttle adaptation needed.
What are the symptoms of a P0507 code?
Typical symptoms: High idle; Check engine light; Hard to stall during shift to D.
Is it safe to drive with a P0507 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: $50-$400.
How do I diagnose a P0507 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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