P0507 means the engine control module measured idle speed above its target by more than a calibrated margin, typically 100 to 200 rpm, for long enough to count as a fault. P0506 is the opposite (idle too low); P0505 is the general idle control system code. On engines with a throttle-by-wire, the module controls idle by cracking the throttle plate; on older engines, by an idle air control valve beside a closed throttle. Either way, P0507 says the module reached the end of its authority and the engine was still idling high.
Severity: low. Can you keep driving? Yes. A high idle wastes fuel and makes the vehicle creep against the brakes, and on a manual it makes smooth engagement harder, but nothing is damaged. The exceptions are the rare cases where the high idle comes with a hard start or a stall, which point at a large air leak that should be found soon.
The three causes behind almost every case
1. Unmetered air. A vacuum leak after the airflow sensor lets in air the module did not count, and the engine speeds up. Cracked intake boots, brittle vacuum hoses, a PCV valve or hose, a brake booster hose or the booster's own diaphragm, an intake manifold gasket, and a throttle body gasket are the usual sites. Audi's bulletin for the 2013 to 2016 A6, A7 and A8 with the 4.0 L TFSI describes exactly this with a twist: a metallic whistling from the engine bay with P0507 and P2279 (intake air system leak), caused by a leak in the crankcase breather module's pressure regulating valve, fixed by replacing the oil separator. The leak was inside a part most people would not call a vacuum hose.
2. A throttle body that no longer closes to where the module thinks it does. Carbon builds up around the throttle plate, the module learns a slightly open position as "closed," and when the carbon is cleaned off the plate closes further than the learned value and idle goes wrong in the other direction. Or the plate sticks open on the carbon and idle runs high. Either way the fix has two parts: clean the throttle body, then perform the idle or throttle relearn the manufacturer specifies. Cleaning without relearning is the most common way P0507 appears the day after a tune-up.
3. A calibration that flags a normal idle. Volkswagen issued software updates in 2013 and 2014 for the 2011 to 2013 Jetta, Golf, Passat and Beetle with the 2.5 L engine whose release notes include changes to the idle control diagnostic strategy, and Chrysler's PCM update bulletins for several models list P0507 among the codes a flash addresses. When the idle is actually normal to the ear and the tachometer and the code still sets, check for an update before hunting a leak.
Less common causes
A sticking idle air control valve on older engines · a throttle position sensor reading wrong · an aftermarket intake or throttle body with different airflow · a cruise control or throttle cable adjusted too tight on cable-throttle engines · an EGR valve stuck open (usually with its own code) · a PCM.
A diagnostic order
- Compare actual idle to the desired idle on the scan tool. Both are displayed. A large gap confirms the code; a small gap that only appears cold or with the A/C on points at a calibration or a minor leak.
- Look at fuel trims at idle. Long-term fuel trim strongly positive at idle and normal at cruise is the signature of a vacuum leak.
- Find the leak: smoke into the intake with the engine off, or spray carefully around gaskets and hoses with the engine running and listen for the idle change. Include the brake booster hose and the PCV system, and on the Audi engines above the breather module.
- Inspect the throttle body. Carbon around the plate, or a plate that does not seat, means clean it and then run the relearn.
- Check for a software update for the vehicle if the idle is close to target and nothing leaks.
- Clear the code and verify through a cold start and a warm idle with the A/C cycling.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive with a P0507 code?
Yes. A high idle wastes fuel and makes the vehicle creep, but nothing is damaged. If the high idle comes with a stall or a hard start, have the air leak found sooner.
Why did P0507 appear right after I cleaned the throttle body?
Because the module had learned a slightly open throttle position as closed to compensate for carbon, and the cleaned plate now closes further than that learned value. Run the manufacturer's idle or throttle relearn procedure with the scan tool, or the vehicle's key-on sequence where one exists.
Is P0507 always a vacuum leak?
Most often, but not always. A throttle body that needs cleaning and a relearn is the second cause, and on some vehicles a software update is the fix because the calibration flagged a normal idle. Audi's 4.0 L case was a leak inside the crankcase breather module rather than a hose.
How much does it cost to fix P0507?
A hose or a PCV valve is inexpensive. A throttle body cleaning with a relearn is under an hour. An intake manifold gasket or a breather module is a few hours plus the part. A software update is an hour at a dealer.
Related codes
- P0505: idle control system malfunction. P0506: idle speed lower than expected.
- P0171 / P0174: system too lean, the fuel trim consequence of the same vacuum leak; see P0171 and vacuum leaks.
- P2279: intake air system leak, stored with P0507 in Audi's case.
- P0120 to P0124 / P2135: throttle position sensor codes.
The code number itself tells you the family and the domain; how to read an OBD2 code number explains what each character means.