# Cold Air Intake causing problem with my NOX Sensor



## larhodes88 (Jan 26, 2017)

Hello,

I have a 2014 Cruze Diesel and i recently put a K&N Cold Air Intake on the car. It was running great but i had a Check engine light come on in regards to the NOX system recall on the car, so they reprogrammed the sensor and a week later the check engine came on again with the same codes. Now they have replaced the NOX sensor entirely and a few days later the check engine light comes on again so i take it to GM and they said its the same codes and that my Cold Air Intake is affecting the car and NOX sensor. they have asked me to put the factory air box back on so they can clear the codes....

Can anybody shed some light on why I'm having this problem? 

Does anybody have any experience with this issue and could you give an advice, I would really like to keep the cold air. 
can i tune it and tweak the computer to agree with the cold air??

Thanks..


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

I am willing to believe the CAI is not causing these codes. It'll throw your MAF readings/fuel trims (basically things on the intake side of engine operation) out of whack and throw codes based on that. If it were causing the NOx code, it would come back on almost immediately after clearing it. 

The recall itself is being found to have a software fault in some cars that causes a NOx CEL to pop up, when nothing is actually wrong.


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## JRB'sOilburningCruze (Feb 25, 2015)

You have put aftermarket parts on your car that were not designed or engineered by GM. In order to troubleshoot why your NOX sensors are not working properly, they want the system as designed. They want to rule out if the CAI is messing with the system.

What code came up when you got the CEL?

Not sure what a CAI will do for you on a forced induction engine, besides look cool.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

A CAI is a bad idea in my opinion. However, I don't think that's your problem. Please take a look at this thread:

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-g...ecall-poll-p11dc-please-post-only-thread.html


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

JRB'sOilburningCruze said:


> You have put aftermarket parts on your car that were not designed or engineered by GM. In order to troubleshoot why your NOX sensors are not working properly, they want the system as designed. They want to rule out if the CAI is messing with the system.
> 
> What code came up when you got the CEL?
> 
> Not sure what a CAI intake will do for your on a forced induction engine, besides look cool.


More turbo noise, that's about it. The engine regulates boost based on a desired power output, so output really won't change. 

So, unless you're tuned, as with the 1.4s, it's rather useless. The stock airbox and intake tract is relatively straight anyway, so it won't have much of an effect even if you are tuned.


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## pacolino (Aug 1, 2015)

It looks like they don't have a clue...so for this reason I will not bring in my CTD for the Nox recall if there is no issues so far with it.

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk


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## smkn600ctd (Dec 16, 2013)

I have had my K&N can for a while now and no codes. 

Humor them...put the stock box back on and have them fix the issue and then put it back on. 

They dunno what they doing and looking for an excuse.


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## justin13703 (May 2, 2016)

I have had the k&n intake for about a year now. It has been removed since the recall and P11DC issues so we can be sure that any codes the car has is due to the car only, and not the intake.

I will tell you that when the intake was on, it would throw a random lean code every now and then. It would clear itself within a day or two and then it would be fine again for a few months. I actually bought this intake from a friend of mine, who sold it to me because it made his car do this exact same thing. So it does seem that the k&n intake may create some issues with lean codes. But it should not be affecting nox sensors. This is likely due to that recall that screwed everything up.

And yes, hopefully everyone knows by now that an intake alone isn't going to add any power. The reason I got it is because I am a car guy, and I like to hear my vehicles, especially turbocharged ones. And this car sounds awesome with that intake. That is strictly the only reason I bought it. Any power gain or loss is negligible. It just sounds good.


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## justin13703 (May 2, 2016)

AEM also makes an intake for this car. AEM filters are much better than k&n filters, but the aem intake tube is plastic, vs metal with the k&n. This is why I went with the k&n. I haven't heard any feedback whatsoever about the aem intake. I am curious if it has the same issues as the k&n with creating lean codes.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

justin13703 said:


> AEM also makes an intake for this car. AEM filters are much better than k&n filters, but the aem intake tube is plastic, vs metal with the k&n. This is why I went with the k&n. I haven't heard any feedback whatsoever about the aem intake. I am curious if it has the same issues as the k&n with creating lean codes.


You know that K&N owns AEM, right? They bought them a couple of years ago.


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## justin13703 (May 2, 2016)

MP81 said:


> justin13703 said:
> 
> 
> > AEM also makes an intake for this car. AEM filters are much better than k&n filters, but the aem intake tube is plastic, vs metal with the k&n. This is why I went with the k&n. I haven't heard any feedback whatsoever about the aem intake. I am curious if it has the same issues as the k&n with creating lean codes.
> ...


Yes I do. That doesn't change the fact that the aem filters are much better than k&n filters.

Aem dryflow filters>k&n oiled filters.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

justin13703 said:


> Yes I do. That doesn't change the fact that the aem filters are much better than k&n filters.
> 
> Aem dryflow filters>k&n oiled filters.


Okay, just wanted to make sure you knew they weren't separate companies.

But yes, that is absolutely true.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

I can understand adding an intake to get the sounds. All other things being equal, the sound a car makes can definitely make it a more fun driving experience.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

diesel said:


> I can understand adding an intake to get the sounds. All other things being equal, the sound a car makes can definitely make it a more fun driving experience.


For sure, you just might end up with lower fuel economy, because you want to hear said cool sounds a lot more.


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