Turbo Sensor Fault Causing Power Loss & Whistling

Had a similar issue with my 2011 Chevy Cruze last month. The temperature sensor and airflow sensor problems showed identical symptoms, power loss, whistling, and constant check engine light. Root cause turned out to be a damaged wiring harness connecting to the charge air temperature sensor. Corrosion had gotten into the plug connector, creating a bad connection. The whistling was from a loose connection letting air escape. This is typically a straightforward fix, though accessing the sensor can be tricky. In my case, the automotive sensor assembly needed replacement along with the wiring harness. It was a moderate repair, not engine-threatening, but definitely not something to ignore since bad readings from the temperature gauge can affect engine performance and fuel efficiency. If you're handy with basic tools, you could inspect the sensor connections yourself, look for obvious corrosion or damage. But given the symptoms, professional diagnosis would be smart. A reputable shop with proper diagnostic tools can pinpoint if it's just the sensor or something more complex in the air intake system. Make sure they check both the sensor and wiring harness, sometimes shops just replace the sensor without addressing connector issues.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That damaged wiring harness situation sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. I've noticed the same power issues get worse when the engine's hot. Quick question, do you remember roughly what you paid for the entire fix? And has everything been running smoothly since the repair? Just want to get an idea of costs and whether any related issues popped up later. The temperature sensor readings on my gauge have been super erratic lately, so the corroded connector theory makes a lot of sense. I'll definitely have them check both the wiring and sensor itself when I bring it in.

Thanks for asking about the follow-up! The repair worked out perfectly and fixed those temperature fluctuation issues completely. The mechanic confirmed it was exactly what I suspected, a corroded connection to the charge air temperature sensor causing those wonky readings. Total bill came to 95 €, mostly labor costs for accessing and fixing the cable connection. Much cheaper than replacing the entire sensor unit, which is what I initially feared might be needed. The airflow sensor and other engine sensors are all working properly now. Since the repair, everything's running like clockwork, no more power loss, the whistling's completely gone, and the engine performance is back to normal. Temperature readings are steady now, and the check engine light hasn't come back on. It's been about 3 weeks, and I haven't noticed any related problems. Definitely a relief it turned out to be just a connection issue rather than a more serious air intake system problem. Having a thorough mechanic who checked the whole system made all the difference.

Thanks everyone for the great advice! I finally got the car checked out at a new shop yesterday. After reading about the wiring harness issues here, I specifically asked them to inspect the connections. Sure enough, corroded wiring to the charge air temperature sensor was the culprit. Repair took about 2 hours and cost €120 total. They cleaned up the corrosion, repaired the damaged wiring, and double-checked all the other engine sensors while they were at it. The airflow sensor was actually fine, just getting bad signals from the faulty wiring. Car's running great now, no more whistling, full power restored, and the temperature readings are steady. Check engine light cleared right up too. Really glad I found a shop that knew what to look for instead of just throwing parts at the problem. What a relief to have this sorted without needing any major repairs! The temperature fluctuation issues are completely gone and everything's working perfectly. Should have asked for help here sooner!