P2015 Intake Manifold Runner Position Sensor/Switch (Bank 1)
The ECU has logged a fault on P2015. The definition below is the exact wording the standard uses for this code.
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
P2015: Intake Manifold Runner Position Sensor/Switch (Bank 1).
P2015 is a manufacturer-specific powertrain code (the engine or gearbox). Its meaning is set by the carmaker rather than by the SAE standard, so a generic OBD-II reader will often show it as an unknown code or misread 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
On the EA888 2.0 TSI/TFSI and the 3.0 TDI V6, this is one of the most common faults on the platform, and it is nearly always mechanical rather than electrical. The intake manifold has a flap inside it that the ECU moves to change the intake tract, and a position sensor that reports where that flap is. The lever that connects the two is plastic.
Most likely causes, in order
- The plastic lever arm on the intake manifold has snapped. This is the classic failure. The motor still works and the sensor still works, but the arm between them has broken, so the ECU commands a movement and sees nothing happen. It is extremely common on 2008-2014 2.0 TSI engines.
- The runner flap is carbon-seized. Direct-injection engines coke up the intake tract. A flap stiff with carbon can read as a position fault before it fails outright.
- The position sensor itself has failed. Less common than the lever, and worth testing before buying a manifold - watch the sensor's live value while the flap is commanded.
Worth knowing: Both a full replacement manifold and a metal repair bracket exist for this. The bracket is far cheaper and is a common fix, but check the flap itself moves freely first - fitting a bracket to a seized flap fixes nothing.
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.
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Common questions
What does P2015 mean?
P2015 means Intake Manifold Runner Position Sensor/Switch (Bank 1). It is logged when the ECU sees this circuit outside its expected operating window.
Can I drive with P2015?
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.