Code P0097 indicates that the engine computer has detected a low voltage condition in the intake air temperature sensor 2 circuit for bank 1. This typically means there is a short to ground in the wiring or the sensor itself has failed internally, causing the computer to receive a false signal indicating an extremely high intake air temperature.
The internal thermistor of the sensor can fail, creating a low-resistance path that pulls the signal voltage down to near zero.
The signal wire between the sensor and the engine computer can chafe against the chassis or engine, causing a direct short to ground.
Corrosion in the sensor connector or a loose terminal can alter the circuit resistance and cause a false low-voltage signal.
A terminal in the wiring connector may be pushed back into the housing, preventing proper contact and disrupting the signal circuit.
An internal failure within the engine computer is highly unlikely but could prevent it from reading the sensor voltage correctly.
You can drive it, but it is not recommended for long periods. Because the engine computer thinks the intake air is extremely hot, it will reduce fuel delivery, which can cause hard cold starts, rough idling, and poor performance.
Almost never. Replacing the PCM is a very common misdiagnosis for this code. A low circuit code almost always points to a failed sensor or a shorted wire, not a bad engine computer. The computer should only be replaced after all wiring and the sensor itself have been thoroughly tested and proven intact.
It is a secondary air temperature sensor, often located in the intake manifold or the charge air pipe on forced-induction engines. The computer uses it to monitor the exact temperature of the air entering the cylinders to calculate the correct fuel mixture.
Intake air temperature sensors are thermistors that lose electrical resistance as they get hotter. A short to ground or an internal sensor failure drops the resistance to near zero, which the computer interprets as an impossibly high temperature.