Fault Code Lookup › Powertrain codes › P0101
P0101 Powertrain · generic OBD-II
Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance
P0101 is a standard code covering engine, transmission, fuel and emissions. It names the system that logged the fault, not the part that failed. Below: which cars owners reported it on, what happened, and recalls on those cars, from 7 complaints filed with NHTSA. Updated November 3, 2026.
- 7owner reports
- 7car models
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention a fire
- 2012–2021model years
Which cars get code P0101?
Every model whose owners mentioned P0101 in a complaint, most reports first. Each year opens that car's full problem report. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.
Chevrolet Cruze
1 reportChevrolet Malibu
1 reportChevrolet Sonic
1 reportChevrolet Tahoe
1 reportFord Fiesta
1 reportGMC Terrain
1 reportWhere does P0101 show up?
By brand
- Chevrolet5
- Ford1
- GMC1
Component the owner filed it under
Is there a recall for P0101?
As of November 3, 2026, no NHTSA recall on the cars reporting P0101 names this code or its most-reported component. Recalls can be issued at any time: check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What happened when owners saw P0101?
7 of the 7 reports, spread across the models above, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
Went to park car in a park to drop daughter off and it sputtered out and stalled out of nowhere with no warning. I had received a lamp warning very sporadically prior to this and on occasion that stated 'reduced steering assist drive with care' this resulted in heavy steering for that drive until car was shut off and then it would go away and be fine again, fixed the car through Knudtsen Chevy due to a recall about a month before on the issue with the engine being turned off and it thinking it was still hot and still running the fan (even though the car was not running). Knudtsen fixed that issue. Low battery voltage light did not come on however battery was older so had battery installed at…
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle began jerking motions and misfiring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with a cam shaft failure and diagnostic codes P0016, P0101. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000
My 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has severe safety defects involving the engine, powertrain, and speed control. The vehicle will sometimes accelerate on its own with my foot off the gas, and other times it loses all power while pulling into traffic. This creates an immediate risk of a crash. 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). The charge-air hose repeatedly blows off the throttle body while driving, causing sudden loss of power. The vehicle was sold to me by a dealer as safe and reliable, but these defects appeared shortly after purchase. The…
ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. DEALER CODES: P0101, P0171, THROTTLE BODY INTAKE TUBE TORN ALLOWING UNMETERED AIR TO ENTER ENGINE. REPAIR COST ABOUT $450 PLEASE ADVISE IF THIS IS FREQUENT OCCURRENCE IN CHEVY SONIC MY 12. ARE THERE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS SUBJECT TO RECALL?
This vehicle is owned by the City of Fort Lauderdale Police Department. We are submitting complaints for multiple Tahoe's that have stopped during operation causing extreme danger to our staff and other drivers in the city. The cause is always bad fuel pumps and our units have had to have the pumps replaced in some cases multiple times. Driver: will not accelerate past 9 mph Tech: code P0068 throttle body and code P0089 high pressure fuel pump and P0101 mass air flow sensor.
Car turns off randomly when driving. Majority of the time it happens when the car is slowing down or turning. Check engine light just turned on 8/27 reading code PO101 meaning there isn’t enough fuel getting to the engine or too much is going to the engine.
*Check engine light on, Reduced Power Light is on, and Vehicle is surging up and down. *Driving on highway and Engine power is reduced, cars behind me honked until I could get over into the right lane because I was losing power. *Yes, confirmed by LaFontaine of Ann Arbor, MI *Yes, inspected by LaFontaine of Ann Arbor MI Customer states check engine light on, reduced power light and the vehicle did have reduced power. Vehicle is surging up and down at an idel. GM assistance, submit for DMA approval to deviate on PET per Scott S DMA. N/C to customer per DMA, If an FSE is needed please submit request. Found air duct not connected to throttle body and throttle body is cause. Inspected and found…
P0101: questions drivers ask
What does code P0101 mean?
P0101 is a generic OBD-II powertrain code. Its standard definition is "Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance". The code tells you which system set the fault, not which part failed; the owner reports on this page show what it meant in practice for 7 car models.
Which cars get code P0101 most often?
In NHTSA owner complaints, P0101 is mentioned most for the Chevrolet Blazer (1), Chevrolet Cruze (1), Chevrolet Malibu (1), across 7 models and model years 2012 to 2021. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.
Is there a recall for code P0101?
As of November 2026, no NHTSA recall on the cars reporting P0101 names this code or its most-reported component. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What should I do if my car shows P0101?
Write down when the code appeared and what the car did (warning lights, loss of power, noises, speed, weather). Check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls, ask a dealer or independent workshop to read the stored freeze-frame data before anyone clears the code, and keep the repair order. If the car loses power in traffic, stop driving it. CarHooq does not diagnose: these are owner reports and official recall notices, not repair advice.
How this page was made
CarHooq read the text of every owner complaint filed with NHTSA for 19 US and European brands (model years 2012 onwards) and picked out the diagnostic trouble codes owners wrote down. This page lists every mention of P0101. The definition is the generic SAE J2012 wording; a carmaker may use the code slightly differently. Nothing here is a diagnosis. Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain), retrieved November 3, 2026. How CarHooq reports are made.
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