P0106 Manifold Absolute Pressure/Barometric Pressure Sensor Circuit Range/Performance

Investigate soon

The sensor still works, but its reading has drifted outside the window the ECU expects. That usually means a tired sensor or a problem with what it is measuring, not a broken wire.

Can you drive it? The engine light will stay on and the car may run in a reduced-power mode. Read the freeze-frame data to see the conditions the fault was logged under.

The definition

P0106: Manifold Absolute Pressure/Barometric Pressure Sensor Circuit Range/Performance.

P0106 is a powertrain code (the engine or gearbox), defined by the SAE standard - it means the same thing on any make of car, and any generic OBD-II reader will decode it.

What to check first

Cheapest and fastest checks first:

Read the freeze-frame data stored with the fault - engine speed, load and temperature at the moment it logged tell you whether this happens cold, hot or under load.
Check the connector at the part for corrosion, and that it is fully seated.
Clear the code and see whether it returns, and under what conditions.

What actually causes this on a VAG

The manifold absolute pressure sensor tells the ECU what pressure is in the intake manifold - vacuum when you're off the throttle, boost when the turbo's working. On most VAG turbo engines it's a combined pressure and temperature sensor screwed into the charge pipe or the manifold, and most modern VAG ECUs also carry a barometric pressure sensor inside the ECU itself for comparison. P0106 means the pressure reading doesn't line up with what the ECU expects from throttle, rpm and airflow - plausible-looking, but wrong. Symptoms range from nothing obvious to hesitation, poor economy and reduced boost.

Most likely causes, in order

Sensor tip coated in oil or soot. On diesels with EGR, and on direct-injection petrols with oil carryover through the breather, the sensing element gets covered and starts reading lazily or low. Unscrew it and look at the tip - a black film or a wet oily coating is the giveaway. Clean it gently with electrical contact cleaner and let it dry; never scrape or brush the element.
Boost or vacuum leak. A cracked plastic charge pipe, a split intercooler hose, a slipped clamp, a leaking intake manifold gasket or a failed PCV all mean the real manifold pressure genuinely doesn't match what the ECU commanded. Look for oil marks or clean streaks at pipe joints, listen for hissing or whistling under load, and have a boost leak test done if nothing shows up by eye.
Faulty sensor or its wiring. With the ignition on and the engine not running, the manifold pressure reading should sit close to the outside air pressure and agree with the ECU's own barometric reading. If it's noticeably off before the engine has even started, the sensor or its circuit is the problem. Check the plug for corrosion and the loom for chafing before condemning the sensor.
Boost control problem upstream. A sticking turbo actuator, seized vanes on a variable-geometry diesel turbo, or a leaking control hose make the actual pressure wander away from the target, and the sensor faithfully reports it. This usually comes with other boost-related codes and a clear loss of pull rather than a purely electrical-feeling fault.

Worth knowing: Before buying a sensor, do the key-on-engine-off comparison: if the manifold pressure reading matches the ECU's ambient barometric reading with the engine stopped, the sensor is at least telling the truth at atmospheric pressure, and a leak or a boost-control fault becomes the likelier explanation. It doesn't completely clear a sensor that only drifts once it's under boost, but it does stop you buying one on a hunch.

Reading the code is the easy part

A code names the circuit that complained. What tells you why is watching the sensor behind it while the engine runs — and that is where a code reader stops and a diagnostic tool starts.

VAGPULSE reads every module in a VW, Audi, Skoda or SEAT — not just the engine — shows the live measuring blocks behind this fault, gives you the freeze-frame conditions it was logged under, and clears it once you have fixed it. It also does what a generic OBD reader cannot on a VAG: service resets, coding, adaptations, and Stage 1–3 flashing with your original file saved first.

$249 once. No subscription, unlimited cars. Windows 10/11.

See VAGPULSE — $249 Look up another code

Software downloads instantly · cable ships September 30 · cable guarantee — refund if it won't connect

Prefer to work on your phone? The VAGPULSE Android app is a free download and its demo mode runs against a sample car with no hardware at all, so you can see exactly what it reads before spending anything. Reading your car with it needs the VAGPULSE cable, which comes with the licence.

Common questions

What does P0106 mean?

P0106 means Manifold Absolute Pressure/Barometric Pressure Sensor Circuit Range/Performance. The sensor still works, but its reading has drifted outside the window the ECU expects. That usually means a tired sensor or a problem with what it is measuring, not a broken wire.

Can I drive with P0106?

The engine light will stay on and the car may run in a reduced-power mode. Read the freeze-frame data to see the conditions the fault was logged under.