P2081Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor Circuit Intermittent (Bank 1 Sensor 1)
- Generic OBD-II code · Powertrain
- Turns on the check-engine light
- Matters for the ITP
- Can trigger limp mode
- How the car detects it
- P2081 is set when the signal of exhaust temperature sensor 1 on bank 1 jumps between consecutive readings faster than real exhaust gas can change. GM documents two versions. A diesel in table 18OBDG04 flags a change of more than 10 ohms between two samples taken 100 ms apart and needs 20 such failures out of 40. The 3.0 L LZO (25OBDG04B) looks at the raw temperature step instead, more than 100 °C, in 12 of 25 samples. Both are Type B, so the lamp lights after the second faulty trip. Infiniti lists P2081 with its siblings on the Q50 of 2016–2017 and the Q60 of 2017 (VR30DDTT) and fixes it by reprogramming the ECM. Ford's 2014 petrol code list carries it without a lamp marker. Loose contacts and heat-damaged leads are the classic causes; a steady but wrong value would be P2080.
- What you may notice
- Engine warning lamp on, sometimes only after the second trip
- Exhaust temperature value jumping in live data
- Regeneration or turbo protection strategy interrupted
- Likely causes
- LikelyLoose or corroded pin in the sensor connector
- PossibleSensor lead chafed or embrittled by exhaust heat, breaking contact on vibration
- PossibleCracked sensing element giving unstable resistance
- RareECM software issue (Infiniti VR30DDTT reprogramming)
- Inspection (ITP)
- Matters for the ITP. While the check-engine light is on, the car fails the emissions check.
- Repair
- Medium · Often possible to do yourself.Typical cost: €0 – €350
- Related codes
Explanation from obdex (CC0), exactly as the app shows it. Guidance only; confirm with a workshop.