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This is somewhat of a how-to for the error code: P2015 intake manifold flap; implausible signal.
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EDIT, 15Jan2015:
I should have edited this 1st post a long time ago, to save future folks from having to wade through a bunch of old information to get to what is current and most useful information.
P2015 code = a signal that points to an error with a butterfly valve actuator in your intake manifold. Over time, a limiting stop on the travel of the motor and butterfly valve assembly wears down, to the point that the valve assembly will no longer actuate. (The purpose of the flap/valve assembly is to provide swirl to the air as it enters the intake at low/idle RPMs for improved emissions. As I recall, it also actuates above 3000rpm, not sure if it is for emissions or performance reasons.) The linkage that connects the motor to the flap assembly binds up.
Solutions:
1) Since the motor and/or linkage are not available for purchase separately, the first folks with problems had to resort to buying a complete new intake manifold for something over $300, plus labor if it was done by a shop.
2) Some folks tried various 'hack' fixes, as I did, following the youtube video below, in an effort to get the linkage to not bind. DO NOT BOTHER WITH THESE METHODS, as they are not effective long-term, if you can get them to work initially.
3) Jim from Dieselgeek investigated the problem and sleuthed the cause: wear of the hard stop (er, not-so-hard stop) caused the flap assembly to over-travel and bind up. He developed an aluminum bracket to provide a secondary hard stop; a genuine 'hard' stop. Implementation of this fix has proved to be a quick and easy solution to many if not most P2015 codes. And a good number of folks have added the bracket as a preventative fix against what will likely be an eventual problem down the road. While the initial design worked well in most cases, a few of us had difficulty installing the bracket, and Dieselgeek used customer feedback to revise the design, which is even more robust.
http://www.dieselgeek.com/P2015_Intake_Manifold_Flap_Position_Sensor_s/1900.htm
No software (VCDS/VAG-COM) is needed for this issue. After the bracket is installed, the check-engine light will go out on its own after a few starts/shut-downs of the vehicle, or after a day or so.
Happy flapping, and thanks, Jim, for the solution!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial post of this thread follows:
There is a series of butterfly valves in the intake manifold that create swirl at idle, and above 3000rpm. (going off of memory on that) A motor works a plastic linkage, which actuates these valves. Over time, the linkage wears and begins to bind, resulting in the valves not being actuated, and resulting in a check-engine light. As of this writing, it seems the only replacement part you can get is the entire intake manifold assembly, complete with motor and linkage, for a list price of $418 (1stvwparts has it for $301.)
A guy named Ray Martinez put together a video clip for his fix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrVFpYzMX3g
He grinds a groove in the ball of the ball-and-socket joint, and inserts an E-ring snap-ring into it to keep the plastic linkage from getting cocked, and binding.
The joint should be forward (forward with respect to the car) when the car is idling, as seen in the picture below. If your flap is jammed, when the car is idling and the joint is in the rearward (in-car) position, prodding the linkage with a screwdriver wedged against the intake manifold casting should get the linkage to 'pop', it'll be freed, and will pivot forward. This was my case, the same as Ray Martinez'.
Tools needed:
* T30 Torx bit and short wratchet extension. Mine was 1/4" drive.
* Screwdrivers to pry and poke with.
* Needle-nose pliers to attach the E-clip.
Parts needed:
* E-clips. I believe they were 7/16".
I got a kit of fasteners from an auto parts store, and it had only 3 of the size I needed. I went to an Ace hardware store and got more. The Ace ones were thinner, which I think is probably better. Easier to install, and maybe I could have made a smaller groove than using a hacksaw blade.
Here are my mediocre pictures that I took on the fly. But it'll give you an idea of what you're getting into anyway.
1) Remove engine cover.
2) Disconnect electrical connector (not disconnected in this picture.) Note that sometimes it helps to push the connector INward, then pull out.
3) It helps to move the wire harness out of the way. See the plastic wire harness connector on top of the oil filter cap in this picture. You can get one side of the barb out of the hole by pushing down on the barb with a screwdriver. For the backside one, use the box end of a small box-end wrench to pull the barb toward you.
4) Remove (3) T30 torx screws. You may note that there is some spring force that pushes the motor off the first 6-8mm as you loosen the screws.
5) Unhook the small spring, first from the manifold end (which is free), then from the motor end (the spring wraps a little more than 180 degrees, so it is kind of trapped on the motor end.)
6) Pop the linkage off of the motor; it's a press-fit.
So you should have this:
(the long end of the spring hooks to the motor, if you forget)
And the engine with the motor removed:
Ignore the dremel bit in this picture; I decided not to use this to make the groove.
I used a common flat washer to use as a guide for cutting the groove. The ball of the motor is about flush with the top surface of the washer.
Mounted it in a vise:
And used a hack saw blade to cut a groove about 3/4 of the way around the ball:
Resulting in this: (sorry for the bad pic)
And test-fitting the E-clip:
The clip has to be attached after re-assembling the motor in the vehicle.
Installation is basically the reverse:
7) Get the motor in position and press the linkage onto the ball.
8) Hook the long end of the spring to the motor.
9) Hook the short end of the spring onto the shaft on the intake manifold.
- keep an eye on it as you get the 3 screws started by hand, to make sure it stays on its groove.
10) Install the 3 torx screws by hand, and then tighten in an alternating pattern, as you're pushing against a light spring force as it gets close to home.
11) Start the car.
12) Use screwdriver to get the linkage, which is probably jammed, to move to the forward (in-car) position.
13) Attempt to install E-clip.
14) Drop clip down into engine compartment.
15) Repeat 13-14 until you get it right.
Unfortunately it seems this must be done with the engine running. Using VCDS, you can run an output test, but it pivots it forward, holds it for just a couple seconds, pivots it back, repeats..... So you have to have the car running to get it in the forward position. Unless you can find some way to pull the thing forward with the engine off, which I didn't attempt.
In VCDS, to work the valve:
* Select Control Module
* 01 - Engine
* Output Tests
* select 'Intake Manifold Valve' from the pull-down menu
* Start
If you're doing this to test it before the fix, use screwdriver wedged between intake manifold casting and linkage to get the linkage freed up.
Use VCDS under "OBD-II" to check codes and clear codes.
I only did this today, and it's 'held' through running some errands, but I don't know if the E-clip will come off over time. This is a stop-gap fix, to save an ~$700 repair bill. If it doesn't hold up long-term, then I get the intake manifold replaced.
Hope this helps......
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT, 15Jan2015:
I should have edited this 1st post a long time ago, to save future folks from having to wade through a bunch of old information to get to what is current and most useful information.
P2015 code = a signal that points to an error with a butterfly valve actuator in your intake manifold. Over time, a limiting stop on the travel of the motor and butterfly valve assembly wears down, to the point that the valve assembly will no longer actuate. (The purpose of the flap/valve assembly is to provide swirl to the air as it enters the intake at low/idle RPMs for improved emissions. As I recall, it also actuates above 3000rpm, not sure if it is for emissions or performance reasons.) The linkage that connects the motor to the flap assembly binds up.
Solutions:
1) Since the motor and/or linkage are not available for purchase separately, the first folks with problems had to resort to buying a complete new intake manifold for something over $300, plus labor if it was done by a shop.
2) Some folks tried various 'hack' fixes, as I did, following the youtube video below, in an effort to get the linkage to not bind. DO NOT BOTHER WITH THESE METHODS, as they are not effective long-term, if you can get them to work initially.
3) Jim from Dieselgeek investigated the problem and sleuthed the cause: wear of the hard stop (er, not-so-hard stop) caused the flap assembly to over-travel and bind up. He developed an aluminum bracket to provide a secondary hard stop; a genuine 'hard' stop. Implementation of this fix has proved to be a quick and easy solution to many if not most P2015 codes. And a good number of folks have added the bracket as a preventative fix against what will likely be an eventual problem down the road. While the initial design worked well in most cases, a few of us had difficulty installing the bracket, and Dieselgeek used customer feedback to revise the design, which is even more robust.
http://www.dieselgeek.com/P2015_Intake_Manifold_Flap_Position_Sensor_s/1900.htm
No software (VCDS/VAG-COM) is needed for this issue. After the bracket is installed, the check-engine light will go out on its own after a few starts/shut-downs of the vehicle, or after a day or so.
Happy flapping, and thanks, Jim, for the solution!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial post of this thread follows:
There is a series of butterfly valves in the intake manifold that create swirl at idle, and above 3000rpm. (going off of memory on that) A motor works a plastic linkage, which actuates these valves. Over time, the linkage wears and begins to bind, resulting in the valves not being actuated, and resulting in a check-engine light. As of this writing, it seems the only replacement part you can get is the entire intake manifold assembly, complete with motor and linkage, for a list price of $418 (1stvwparts has it for $301.)
A guy named Ray Martinez put together a video clip for his fix:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrVFpYzMX3g
He grinds a groove in the ball of the ball-and-socket joint, and inserts an E-ring snap-ring into it to keep the plastic linkage from getting cocked, and binding.
The joint should be forward (forward with respect to the car) when the car is idling, as seen in the picture below. If your flap is jammed, when the car is idling and the joint is in the rearward (in-car) position, prodding the linkage with a screwdriver wedged against the intake manifold casting should get the linkage to 'pop', it'll be freed, and will pivot forward. This was my case, the same as Ray Martinez'.
Tools needed:
* T30 Torx bit and short wratchet extension. Mine was 1/4" drive.
* Screwdrivers to pry and poke with.
* Needle-nose pliers to attach the E-clip.
Parts needed:
* E-clips. I believe they were 7/16".
I got a kit of fasteners from an auto parts store, and it had only 3 of the size I needed. I went to an Ace hardware store and got more. The Ace ones were thinner, which I think is probably better. Easier to install, and maybe I could have made a smaller groove than using a hacksaw blade.
Here are my mediocre pictures that I took on the fly. But it'll give you an idea of what you're getting into anyway.
1) Remove engine cover.
2) Disconnect electrical connector (not disconnected in this picture.) Note that sometimes it helps to push the connector INward, then pull out.
3) It helps to move the wire harness out of the way. See the plastic wire harness connector on top of the oil filter cap in this picture. You can get one side of the barb out of the hole by pushing down on the barb with a screwdriver. For the backside one, use the box end of a small box-end wrench to pull the barb toward you.
4) Remove (3) T30 torx screws. You may note that there is some spring force that pushes the motor off the first 6-8mm as you loosen the screws.
5) Unhook the small spring, first from the manifold end (which is free), then from the motor end (the spring wraps a little more than 180 degrees, so it is kind of trapped on the motor end.)
6) Pop the linkage off of the motor; it's a press-fit.
So you should have this:
(the long end of the spring hooks to the motor, if you forget)
And the engine with the motor removed:
Ignore the dremel bit in this picture; I decided not to use this to make the groove.
I used a common flat washer to use as a guide for cutting the groove. The ball of the motor is about flush with the top surface of the washer.
Mounted it in a vise:
And used a hack saw blade to cut a groove about 3/4 of the way around the ball:
Resulting in this: (sorry for the bad pic)
And test-fitting the E-clip:
The clip has to be attached after re-assembling the motor in the vehicle.
Installation is basically the reverse:
7) Get the motor in position and press the linkage onto the ball.
8) Hook the long end of the spring to the motor.
9) Hook the short end of the spring onto the shaft on the intake manifold.
- keep an eye on it as you get the 3 screws started by hand, to make sure it stays on its groove.
10) Install the 3 torx screws by hand, and then tighten in an alternating pattern, as you're pushing against a light spring force as it gets close to home.
11) Start the car.
12) Use screwdriver to get the linkage, which is probably jammed, to move to the forward (in-car) position.
13) Attempt to install E-clip.
14) Drop clip down into engine compartment.
15) Repeat 13-14 until you get it right.
Unfortunately it seems this must be done with the engine running. Using VCDS, you can run an output test, but it pivots it forward, holds it for just a couple seconds, pivots it back, repeats..... So you have to have the car running to get it in the forward position. Unless you can find some way to pull the thing forward with the engine off, which I didn't attempt.
In VCDS, to work the valve:
* Select Control Module
* 01 - Engine
* Output Tests
* select 'Intake Manifold Valve' from the pull-down menu
* Start
If you're doing this to test it before the fix, use screwdriver wedged between intake manifold casting and linkage to get the linkage freed up.
Use VCDS under "OBD-II" to check codes and clear codes.
I only did this today, and it's 'held' through running some errands, but I don't know if the E-clip will come off over time. This is a stop-gap fix, to save an ~$700 repair bill. If it doesn't hold up long-term, then I get the intake manifold replaced.
Hope this helps......
Last edited:
