P011EEngine Coolant Temperature 1 / Ambient Air Temperature Correlation
- Generic OBD-II code · Powertrain
- Turns on the check-engine light
- Matters for the ITP
- Needs a drive cycle to confirm a fix
- How the car detects it
- After a long standstill, typically six to eight hours, the coolant should have cooled to roughly the outside air temperature measured by the ambient sensor in the bumper or mirror. P011E compares coolant temperature sensor 1 with the ambient sensor at start-up and is set when they differ beyond a calibrated limit and no preheater was detected. The code does not say which of the two sensors is wrong. No manufacturer document using exactly this code was found; the description rests on the CARB requirement for coolant sensor plausibility and on the same cold-soak comparison that Ford (reported as P0071), GM/Saab and Mazda perform under other codes.
- What you may notice
- Check engine light on
- Usually no driving symptoms
- Outside temperature display possibly wrong
- Likely causes
- PossibleCoolant temperature sensor 1 drifting
- PossibleAmbient temperature sensor drifting or affected by engine heat or sun
- PossiblePreheater not detected
- RareContact resistance in one sensor's connector or wiring
- Inspection (ITP)
- Matters for the ITP. While the check-engine light is on, the car fails the emissions check.
- Repair
- Easy · Often possible to do yourself.Typical cost: €30 – €200
- Related codes
Explanation from obdex (CC0), exactly as the app shows it. Guidance only; confirm with a workshop.