What does it mean?
P1160 is a Powertrain (engine, transmission, fuel system) fault code. It indicates: Intake Air Temperature (IAT) Sensor -G72- Short circuit to Ground (GND) .
Symptoms
- Malfunction indicator lamp on with an intake air temperature reading in live data that is clearly impossible
- Hard starting, particularly when cold
- Rough idle, hesitation and a rich or lean running condition
- Higher fuel consumption and possibly black smoke
- Cooling fans behaving unusually, running early or continuously
Likely causes
- Signal wire chafed through and touching the engine, a bracket or a heat shield
- Internal short inside the sensor element itself
- Water or corrosion in the connector bridging the signal and ground pins
- Crushed section of harness after a previous repair, an air box removal or an accessory installation
- Sensor integrated into the mass air flow housing damaged during air filter service
- Terminal pushed out of the connector and contacting the sensor body or the intake pipe
- Damaged wire insulation where the harness passes through a bulkhead grommet
How to fix it
- Compare intake air temperature with coolant temperature after an overnight soak; both should be close to ambient
- Unplug the sensor and watch the live value; if it jumps to the opposite extreme, the sensor is shorted internally
- With the sensor disconnected, measure resistance from the signal wire to ground; a low reading confirms a short in the harness
- Measure sensor resistance and compare it with the temperature and resistance table for that sensor
- Inspect the harness along its whole route for chafing, crush damage and contact with metal parts
- Dry and clean the connector, then check for pushed-out or bent terminals
- Repair the shorted wire with a sealed joint or replace the sensor, then verify the reading is realistic