Intake air flow leaking. What makes this happen?

changed motor oil. started car, check engine light stayed on. went to auto zone got p0171 code. disconnected positive battery cable. r and r maf sensor. removed one month old air filter, blew out with air. blew out air filter compartment with air. installed air filter. connected battery cable. started car. check engine light stayed off. went to store one mile away. locked car with remote. came out of store half hour later, tried to remote start car. would not. said oh crap. started car with key and engine light stayed on. went to auto zone checked for codes and was told car had an air flow int
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. When having the code P0171, the fuel system is too lean. This could be the fuel pump is not working, the fuel filter is dirty or plugged, or the injectors are plugged or not working properly. Check the fuel system and make sure that the fuel system is having a pressure of 35 psi or higher. Also, check the spark plugs and look for any burn marks. This would indicate that the spark is hotter than normal and the fuel system needs cleaned or repaired.

For the intake air flow leak, check the intake for any vacuum leaks on both sides of the throttle. Check all of the hoses from the air cleaner box to the throttle and check the manifold and all vacuum line including the brake booster line for any leaks. Put a vacuum hose on the engine and see what the engine vacuum is at idle. The vacuum should be 17 hg to 22 hg on the gauge. If there is a vacuum less that that, then there is a leak. If you need further assistance with your fuel system and a vacuum leak, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

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What is the P0171 code for the Chevy Cruze? The P0171 code indicates that the fuel system in part of the engine is running weak or there is a vacuum leak near that side of the engine. This happens when the engine is getting too little gas or too much air.
The fuel filter is always going to be found between the fuel tank and the engine.
The OBD code P1101 is a trouble code that appears when the Power Control Module (PCM) detects a fault within the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor system. When this code sets, the PCM detects a discrepancy with the voltage readings coming from the MAF sensor.
A P0171 code is set by your vehicle`s powertrain control module (PCM) when it detects that the air-to-fuel ratio of your vehicle is too lean. This means that the PCM is relaying that the engine is receiving too much air into the combustion chamber and not enough fuel.
Can a bad O2 sensor cause P0171? The actual issue may not be a broken O2 sensor but rather low fuel pressure, engine vacuum leak, or dirty fuel injectors that cause the engine to run lean.
There are two fundamental air filters in your 2014 Chevy Cruze.
While the P1101 error code won`t stop you from driving your vehicle, you may experience several performance issues, such as rough idle, loss of power, and poor fuel economy. That said, driving for a prolonged period with an active P1101 code isn`t recommended.
Error code P1101 is set when the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) has issues executing the self-test on the Mass Air Flow Sensor. In other words, when the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) identifies a malfunction in the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor system, this is what happens.
You probably know that the answer the questions is — no! A P0171 or P0174 lean code with an O2 sensor reading lean all the time mean — well, several things. The real problem may not be a bad O2 sensor, but possibly be an engine vacuum leak, low fuel pressure or dirty fuel injectors that are causing the engine run lean.
Tip : A faulty or skewed coolant temperature sensor and/or air temperature sensor can cause certain systems to mis-calculate air/fuel mixtures, resulting in P0171, P0174 DTCs.
If your sparks plugs have gone out, the OBD scanner should read the codes P0300 or P0171 which means lean running engine coupled with misfires.
What are the symptoms for a P0171 code? Generally, a lean code will cause the engine to run poorly, which the driver will notice as a high idle, a misfire, a lack of power, or even engine stalling, and this may happen before the check engine light has turned on.
Absolutely, a leaking exhaust manifold can cause those codes. Those codes do NOT mean the O2 sensors are bad, it means a lean condition has been detected.
If your vehicle`s fuel filter is dirty or clogged, this will prevent your engine from getting enough fuel. This can cause your vehicle to experience problems while trying to accelerate. A dirty air filter can also be the culprit. A dirty air filter cannot give the right air-fuel mixture resulting in slow acceleration.
Faulty Fuel Filter

If the fuel filter gets clogged and the fuel does not reach the engine chamber in the right quantity then the engine will not be able to perform at its optimum level. You will feel a loss in power while accelerating and at times intermittent jerks.

Your Chevrolet Cruze will be happy to know that the search for the right Fuel Filter products you`ve been looking for is over! Advance Auto Parts has 4 different Fuel Filter for your vehicle, ready for shipping or in-store pick up.
There are two fundamental air filters in your 2012 Chevy Cruze. The engine air filter is located in the engine bay and is used to filter out adverse and hazardous particles that may cause damage to your vehicle`s engine.
Contamination is a key reason why MAF sensors fail and require replacement. As air, dirt and other debris get into the sensor, the parts become contaminated and fail. Drivers often notice sluggish performance, rough idling, poor acceleration or even stalling. There may also be a more frequent need to refuel.
Without a proper signal from the mass air flow sensor, the powertrain control module (PCM), which manages the engine, transmission, and other systems in your car, won`t know how much fuel the engine needs. This can either cause the engine to run too lean (too little fuel) or too rich (too much fuel).
Fuel Economy Loss

The ECM can also send too much gas into the combustion chamber if the mass airflow sensor readings are off. This will cause you to lose gas mileage because your vehicle will burn off any excess fuel that it does not need.

What the P0171 code means. The P0171 OBD-II code means that, on the first bank of the engine, the fuel system is running weak or a vacuum leak exists near this side of the engine. A lean condition occurs when the engine either receives too little fuel or too much air.
When the ECM/PCM is having to add too much fuel based on input from the O2 sensor, the fault code P0171 will be sent to the ECM, which will trigger the check engine light to illuminate. This code could either mean that the oxygen sensor is detecting too much oxygen or too little fuel in the mixture.
The OBDII trouble code P0171 – System Too Lean (Bank 1) means that the engine air-fuel mixture is too lean, or there is too much air and too little fuel. Driving a car with the code P0171 can cause more damage to the engine over time, as when the engine runs lean, the combustion temperature is higher.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Intake air flow leaking. What makes this happen?
ANSWER : Hi there. When having the code P0171, the fuel system is too lean. This could be the fuel pump is not working, the fuel filter is dirty or plugged, or the injectors are plugged or not working properly. Check the fuel system and make sure that the fuel system is having a pressure of 35 psi or higher. Also, check the spark plugs and look for any burn marks. This would indicate that the spark is hotter than normal and the fuel system needs cleaned or repaired.

For the intake air flow leak, check the intake for any vacuum leaks on both sides of the throttle. Check all of the hoses from the air cleaner box to the throttle and check the manifold and all vacuum line including the brake booster line for any leaks. Put a vacuum hose on the engine and see what the engine vacuum is at idle. The vacuum should be 17 hg to 22 hg on the gauge. If there is a vacuum less that that, then there is a leak. If you need further assistance with your fuel system and a vacuum leak, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

Hot air mixed with cold blows from air conditioning
ANSWER : Hey there. You will most likely have to have a mechanic bypass the heater coolant lines to have this resolved. Your A/C may not be controlling the air flow inside the evaporator correctly out of the vents and may be the blend door actuator stuck in the heat position. Have the AC system diagnosed first before bypassing the heater.

I’m not sure what the normal air intake is supposed to be at but mine is at 169 and after 30 miles my car just dies no code
ANSWER : Heat increases electrical resistance and also alters physical dimensions of parts. A sensor, coil(s), relay, or other electrical component is obviously cutting out at some point and then restoring once a lower temperature is reached. You have to either use a real time scan tool (Bosch 1200 or higher might be good enough if you have) to look for anomalies in the key controls or, and this might be easier, just diagnose it as a complete no-start right at the point of failure. Obviously, at that point you are not looking for something intermittent and so the cause should come into view right away. If you want these steps performed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a no start diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

The car keeps cutting off, i brought idle air contol, mass air flow, and map sensor. What could be wrong
ANSWER : There are many faults that can cause a vehicle to stall. A faulty engine speed sensor or weak fuel pump just to start. If the Check Engine Light is on, the vehicle can be scanned for fault codes. The fault codes will not tell the mechanic what to fix, but will be a good place to start when looking for problem components. I recommend getting a second opinion on the issue. The stalling problem should be thoroughly diagnosed by an experienced mechanic who can check several parameters in order to track down the bug before moving forward with repairs.

Cold air intake makes engine have sputter sound during shut down.
ANSWER : Hi there. This sound that you are hearing is a normal condition that is occurring. When an cold air intake is installed, there is a larger area for air to accumulate and when the engine shuts off, the air escapes that was collected in that large area. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

’98 Dakota 2wd-rear..with Air. Oil leaking in back of engine and above tranny. Leak is right around d-cap and a sensor post.
ANSWER : Hi there. It’s quite possible that this is a rear oil seal or oil pan gasket that is leaking; or perhaps a transmission oil tube seal that is leaking. The problem with trying to diagnose an oil leak is that typically the oil tends to spray onto different components underneath the vehicle. You might want to have a professional mechanic complete an oil leak inspection to help you locate the source of the leak and recommend the right repairs.

P0300 codes while idling
ANSWER : Hello. If unplugging the MAF sensor causes the engine to run better then there is a secondary air leak into the engine. This means that there is a vacuum leak from someplace. Most of the time on this engine it is from the intake manifold. It may also be a rich condition that can be from the fuel injection unit.

I usually check this by installing a scan tool to see what the fuel trim readings are. This will tell me if it is getting too much air or fuel and where to start. I have seen more intake manifold gasket failures on this engine than anything else. If you are going to have this repaired, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to you home or office to diagnose your Check Engine Light and repair it accordingly.

Should diesel engine shut off when i block air intake before filter.
ANSWER : Hi there. The air intake on today’s modern cars are finely tuned pieces of equipment – especially on a diesel engine. If air flow is blocked or reduced in any way, it can cause the engine to have troubles maintaining consistent RPM and may stall in some situations. The EGR valve is also a component that may be contributing to your engine issues on the Fiat. In order to determine which one is the source of your problems, have a certified professional, like one from YourMechanic, diagnose the stalling problem in person so that this can be addressed properly.