Fault Code Lookup › Powertrain codes › P0506
P0506 Powertrain · generic OBD-II
Idle Air Control System RPM Lower Than Expected
P0506 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 9, 2026.
- 7owner reports
- 7car models
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention a fire
- 2012–2019model years
Which cars get code P0506?
Every model whose owners mentioned P0506 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.
GMC Yukon XL
2 reportsChevrolet Colorado
1 reportChevrolet Malibu
1 reportChrysler 200
1 reportChrysler Pacifica
1 reportVolkswagen CC
1 reportWhere does P0506 show up?
By brand
- Chevrolet2
- GMC2
- Chrysler2
- Volkswagen1
Component the owner filed it under
Is there a recall for P0506?
The others concern the component owners file this code under (Engine) on the same cars; they may or may not relate to the code. Recall repairs are free; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Engine Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2013 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200, and model year 2014 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. Due to abrasive debris in the balance shaft bearings, these engines may have a loss of engine oil pressure, possibly…
2013 Chrysler 200. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.
What happened when owners saw P0506?
6 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.
At stop light vehicle began to sputter, run rough, and make noise. I was less than a mile from my home, no check engine light on. I turned the vehicle off, used a scanner to have codes P0106 and P0506 show. I had vehicle towed to Complete Car Care. Misfire on multiple cylinders, 3 push rods bent, one valve spring broken. The right Cylinder head assembly had to be removed and replaced with 8 new push rods, 8 new lifters, gaskets, seals, and valve spring. Total cost 3304.79, the vehicle only has 69,801 miles on it. In addition one of the rear tail lights has a known issue (found out on google), intermittently goes out, was never notified. I took the car to Jim Hudson GMC to be told it would…
ENGINE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE FROM RED LIGHT/STOP SIGN. STALLS OCCURRED WITHIN 1 MILE DISTANCE FROM WHERE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. FIRST STALL WAS AT RED LIGHT MOVING FORWARD LIGHTLY. SIFTED THE VEHICLE TO PARK, TURNED KEY, VEHICLE TURNED OVER AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ONCE PUT IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE CHEVY SERVICE CENTER. THE SERVICE ADVISOR WAS ABLE TO READ AN ERROR CODE P0506 EVEN THOUGH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. CHEVY COULD NOT SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE VEHICLE UNTIL 5 DAYS LATER; THE ERROR HAD CLEARED AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SERVICE DEPARTMENT DECLARED VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE AS IT THE ISSUE…
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…
I keep getting a check engine light with my Pacifica hybrid. The scanner says P1B11, soft code is P0506, Hybrid battery or wiring harness. The codes erase after driving for a long while, however, I notice that I’m not able to maintain a full hybrid battery charge for longer than a few miles. After about 5 miles of driving, I’m a 80% of battery life left. MPG averages about 30+/- something’s not right. It’s happened twice now, both times with excessive outside temperatures. 1st time while idling, 2nd time while stopped for fueling.
OIL PRESSURE CHANGE INDICATED ON DASHBOARD STATING, "LOW OIL PRESSURE", THE INDICATOR THEN WENT OUT AND THE 2012 VW CC 2.0 TSI SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES A HOUR. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND MOVED OF THE INTERSTATE UNDER ITS OWN POWER, BUT WAS IDLING ROUGH AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START NOW. THE CODE PULLED FROM THIS VEHICLE NOW READ, P0300, P0302, P0341, P000A, P0016, P0304, P0301, P0011, P0506
At stop light vehicle began to sputter and make noise, I was very close to my home, no engine light on. Upon turning vehicle off and using a code reader codes P0106 and P0506 was on scanner. I had vehicle towed to Complete Car Care. Mis fire on multiple cylinders. Vehicle has 69,801 miles. 3 push rods bent and I valve spring broken. The right Cylinder head assembly had to be removed and replaced with 8 new push rods, 8 new lifters, gaskets, seals, and valve spring. Cost was 3304.79. In addition the rear tail light has been sporadic on and off, GM was to replace up to 70,000 miles. When I took it to them they stated the time limit had expired, yet I had not been informed until I did a google…
P0506: questions drivers ask
What does code P0506 mean?
P0506 is a generic OBD-II powertrain code. Its standard definition is "Idle Air Control System RPM Lower Than Expected". 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 P0506 most often?
In NHTSA owner complaints, P0506 is mentioned most for the GMC Yukon (2), GMC Yukon XL (2), Chevrolet Colorado (1), across 7 models and model years 2012 to 2019. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.
Is there a recall for code P0506?
No NHTSA recall text names P0506 directly. 1 recall on the cars that report this code concerns the same component owners name most (Engine); they may or may not relate to the code. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What should I do if my car shows P0506?
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 P0506. The definition is the generic SAE J2012 wording; a carmaker may use the code slightly differently. Nothing here is a diagnosis. More answers: the fault code FAQ. Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain), retrieved November 9, 2026. How CarHooq reports are made.
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