P0113 means the intake air temperature sensor is reading as if the incoming air were extremely cold — which the ECM interprets as a high-voltage/open circuit. On the Aveo it is almost always the IAT sensor or its connector/wiring, a cheap and quick fix. It can cause slightly poor cold running or economy but will not strand you.
What the real-world data shows
Owner complaints: NHTSA lists 1 recall and 169 owner complaints for the 2009 Aveo overall (pulled 2026-10-04). The IAT sensor is not a recall item — this is a routine sensor/wiring repair — but a quick VIN recall-check never hurts.
How often this is searched: P0113 on the Aveo appears in our first-party Bing search logs, which is why we documented this combination.
Common causes on the Chevrolet Aveo
- Failed intake air temperature (IAT) sensor
- Open or high-resistance wiring between the IAT sensor and the ECM
- Corroded or disconnected IAT sensor connector
- On some setups the IAT is part of the MAF — a MAF fault can set it
How to diagnose it
- Compare IAT to coolant temp at cold start — On a cold engine the IAT and coolant temperature readings should be close to each other and to ambient. An IAT stuck very low (e.g. −40) with normal coolant temp confirms an open/high circuit.
- Inspect the connector and wiring — Unplug the IAT connector and check for corrosion, spread pins and chafed wiring. Many P0113s are a dirty connector or a broken signal/ground wire, not the sensor.
- Test the sensor — Measure the IAT sensor resistance and verify it changes with temperature; an open or out-of-range sensor should be replaced.
- Clear and confirm — After repair, clear the code and recheck the IAT reading tracks ambient — it should no longer sit pegged at the cold extreme.
What the fix costs
Typical range: $80–$250 (US). A standalone IAT sensor is often $20–60; labour is modest. If the IAT is integrated in the MAF, the assembly is dearer ($80–200+). Wiring/connector repairs are cheap.
FAQ
What does "circuit high" mean for P0113?
The IAT sensor is a thermistor — its resistance (and the voltage the ECM sees) rises as air gets colder. "Circuit high" means the ECM sees the maximum voltage, as if the air were impossibly cold, which almost always means an open circuit: a bad sensor, broken wire, or disconnected plug.
Can P0113 hurt my fuel economy?
A little. The ECM uses air temperature to trim fuelling, so a stuck-cold reading can richen the mixture slightly and dull cold-start running and economy. It is worth fixing, but it is not an emergency.
Is the IAT the same as the MAF?
Sometimes. On some engines the intake air temperature sensor is built into the mass air flow sensor; on others it is separate. Check which your Aveo has before buying a part, since it changes the cost.
How we researched this
Recall/complaint totals were retrieved 2026-10-04 from NHTSA’s public APIs for the Chevrolet Aveo and are vehicle-level. Search demand is from our own Bing Webmaster data. Causes, diagnostic order and cost ranges are restated general service facts. No fabricated statistics are used.
Sources: NHTSA recalls & complaints (Chevrolet Aveo); SAE J2012 DTC definition (P0113 — Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit High); AutoDTCs first-party Bing Webmaster search-demand logs
Last updated 2026-10-04.