Hey fellow car enthusiasts, I ran into a perplexing issue with my VW Jetta and wanted to share my experience in resolving it. Like many of you might be doing now, I was searching for answers related to the dreaded P2015 error code, specifically concerning the intake manifold runner position sensor location on my 2014 VW Jetta. Hopefully, my journey can shed some light and save you some time and possibly money.
It all started when my car began throwing P2015 and P2004 error codes. After diving deep into forums and repair manuals, I initially suspected the intake manifold runner position sensor, part number 06k907386b. This seemed like a common culprit for these errors. For context, my car has a BMC aftermarket intake system, as you can see here:
Thinking the sensor was the issue, I sourced a used one for $80, as new ones were proving difficult to find immediately. Here’s a look at the sensor I’m talking about:
I went ahead and replaced the sensor, hoping for a quick fix. Unfortunately, this didn’t solve the problem. Not only did the P2015 and P2004 codes persist, but a new error, P2014, decided to join the party! This was frustrating, and naturally, my next thought was that perhaps the entire intake manifold assembly was faulty. I even ordered a complete intake manifold, but while waiting for it to arrive, a small detail caught my attention.
I decided to take a closer look at the OEM intake airbox system. That’s when I noticed a small vacuum hose, about 1/4 inch in diameter, that is part of the original intake design:
This hose connects to the intake manifold solenoid. Upon inspection, I discovered that this hose was completely blocked! It had become detached from the solenoid and was kinked, essentially suffocating the solenoid and preventing it from “breathing” through the vacuum system.
This blocked vacuum hose, it turned out, was the root cause of the initial P2015 and P2004 errors. To test my theory, I simply disconnected the blocked hose, allowing it to vent to the atmosphere. I then cleared the error codes. The P2015 and P2004 errors disappeared! However, the P2014 code remained.
At this point, I decided to revisit the original intake manifold runner position sensor that I had removed. I reinstalled my old sensor, cleared the codes again, and to my surprise, all the error codes vanished! I’ve since driven about 50km, including various driving conditions – stop-and-go traffic, highway speeds, hard accelerations – and the error codes have not returned. Previously, the check engine light would reappear almost immediately after clearing the codes.
It’s disappointing to realize that I might have purchased a faulty used sensor, which led me down a rabbit hole and even to ordering a new intake manifold unnecessarily. As for how the vacuum hose got blocked, my best guess is that it happened during an engine wash. Perhaps someone tucked it away to prevent water ingress and inadvertently blocked it off.
So, the key takeaway from my experience is this: if you are facing P2015, P2004, or even P2014 errors on your 2014 VW Jetta (or similar models), don’t immediately jump to replacing the intake manifold runner position sensor. While the sensor itself can be a problem, especially given its location and function, always check the simpler things first! Inspect the vacuum hoses connected to the intake manifold and solenoid. A blocked or disconnected vacuum hose can easily mimic the symptoms of a faulty sensor and lead to these error codes. Hopefully, this helps someone out there avoid unnecessary parts replacements and headaches!
