About this part
The 036906051 MAP sensor is the genuine OEM intake manifold pressure and air temperature sensor for Volkswagen Group 1.4 and 1.6 petrol engines, listed here for VW, Audi, Skoda and SEAT applications.
What this sensor measures, and why the range matters
The 036906051 is a T-MAP: manifold absolute pressure and intake air temperature in a single four-pin housing. The pressure element is a piezoresistive bridge reading 15 to 120 kPa absolute (0.15–1.20 bar) and sending 0.55–4.55 V to the engine control unit; the NTC bead alongside it reads charge-air temperature on the same connector. The ECU uses the pair, together with engine speed, to calculate the trapped air mass per stroke — which sets injection quantity and ignition timing on these speed-density engines.
That range is the reason this part is often bought by mistake. 120 kPa absolute is only about 0.2 bar of boost, so this sensor belongs on naturally aspirated 1.4 and 1.6 engines. Turbo cars use a wide-range MAP sensor with a different number and a much higher top end; a 036906051 fitted to a turbo engine will read full scale the moment boost comes in, and the ECU will pull fuel and timing to protect itself. If your car is a 1.8 T, stop and read the number on the old sensor first.
Physically: black glass-filled nylon body with the VW roundel moulded in, two brass-bushed mounting holes for M6 bolts, a four-pin D-shape connector at the bottom, and a flat sealing face with the pressure port on the underside, sealed by the O-ring supplied with the unit. No bracket, no hose — it bolts straight to the manifold.
OE / reference numbers
036906051 · 036 906 051. Superseded by 036906051D; the economy-line version is 0369980411 (also sold as 0279980411). Other OE crosses: 03D906051, 03D906051A. Trade references: Bosch F00099M402 / F00099P402, Delphi PS10146, Hella 6PP 009 400-121, FAE 15038, FACET 10.3084, EPS 1.993.084, KW 493 084, Lucas SEB910, Meat & Doria 82111, Metzger 0906050, Topran 111 418, VEMO V10-72-1028, ERA 550194, Hoffer 7472111, HC-Cargo 182626, Standard 16809.
The markings on this unit — VW roundel, T-PRT04 /B and 2262 AA — are Magneti Marelli’s own production codes and the VAG part number. They are not alternative part numbers; match on 036 906 051 / 036 906 051 D.
How it fails, and what the ECU does about it
Oil and fuel vapour kill these. The pressure port sits in the manifold where crankcase breather vapour and EGR soot collect. The gel that protects the die migrates or the port silts up, the output drifts low, and the ECU over-fuels to match a manifold pressure that is not really there. Symptoms: rich running, sooty plugs, black tailpipe smoke, fuel trims pinned positive at idle.
Rough idle and a hunting needle. A drifting sensor gives the ECU a load signal it cannot reconcile with the throttle position, so idle speed wanders and the engine stumbles off idle. Because the NTC shares the housing, the same fault often logs an intake air temperature code at the same time — that pairing is the giveaway.
Codes to expect: P0106 (MAP range/performance), P0107 / P0108 (low / high input), P0111 / P0112 / P0113 (intake air temperature), and on some ECUs P1296 or a generic P0105. A P0106 with no other fault is very often this sensor rather than a wiring fault.
Prove it with live data, not with a code reader alone. Switch the ignition on with the engine off: a healthy sensor reads atmospheric pressure for your altitude — about 100 kPa at sea level. At a warm idle a naturally aspirated engine pulls 30–45 kPa absolute. If the key-on reading is implausible, or the idle figure does not move when you blip the throttle, the sensor is done. Compare the intake air temperature against a cold-soak reading before start-up as a second check on the same part.
Do not clean it. Carb or brake cleaner destroys the gel and the NTC bead. If the port is oily, that is a symptom of a breather or PCV problem that will kill the replacement too — fix the source.
Compatible vehicles
Fits the models listed below where the engine is the naturally aspirated 1.4 or 1.6 petrol unit with a four-pin T-MAP sensor. Model year, market and engine code decide the final fitment — confirm against the table, the number on your old sensor and your VIN.
| Make | Model | Years | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen | Golf Mk4 / Variant (1J) | 1997 – 2006 | 1.4 16V, 1.6 (AHW, AKQ, AEE, ATN, AUS, AZD, BCB) |
| Volkswagen | Bora / Jetta Mk4 (1J) | 1998 – 2005 | 1.4, 1.6 |
| Volkswagen | Polo Mk3 / Mk4 (6N / 6R) | 1995 – 2012 | 1.2, 1.4, 1.6 |
| Volkswagen | Lupo (6X) | 1998 – 2005 | 1.0, 1.4 |
| Volkswagen | Caddy II / III (9K / 2K) | 1996 – 2010 | 1.4, 1.6 |
| Volkswagen | Fox (5Z) | 2005 – 2011 | 1.2, 1.4 |
| Volkswagen | New Beetle (9C) | 2001 – 2010 | 1.4 |
| Audi | A2 (8Z0) | 2000 – 2005 | 1.4, 1.6 FSI |
| Skoda | Fabia I / II (6Y / 5J) | 1999 – 2014 | 1.2, 1.4, 1.6 |
| Skoda | Octavia I (1U) | 2000 – 2010 | 1.4, 1.6 |
| Skoda | Roomster / Praktik (5J) | 2006 – 2015 | 1.2, 1.4 |
| SEAT | Ibiza III / IV (6L / 6J) | 1999 – 2011 | 1.2, 1.4, 1.6 |
| SEAT | Cordoba (6K / 6L) | 1993 – 2009 | 1.4, 1.6 |
| SEAT | Leon I (1M) | 1999 – 2006 | 1.4 (AHW), 1.6 (AUS, AZD) |
| SEAT | Toledo II (1M) | 1999 – 2006 | 1.4, 1.6 |
| SEAT | Arosa (6H) | 1997 – 2004 | 1.0, 1.4 |
Fitting notes
Fit the new O-ring, dry. The seal goes on the pressure port face, not on the bolts, and it goes on dry — sealant or grease can be drawn into the port and block it. Torque the two M6 bolts evenly; the brass bushings take the load, so do not overtighten into the plastic.
Check the connector before you blame the sensor. Oil wicks down the loom from the breather side and pools in the D-shape plug. Green or black pins, or oil inside the boot, will give the same symptoms as a dead sensor. Clean and dry the plug, and if oil keeps returning, the sensor is not your only problem.
Clear the adaptations, not just the codes. After fitting, clear the fault memory and let the ECU relearn idle. On these engines the fuel trims will settle within a short drive; read them again after 20–30 km to confirm the new sensor is being believed.
Match by number, not by shape. Several VAG MAP sensors share this body style with different pressure ranges and different pin counts. The number is moulded on the housing — read it before ordering, and if it ends in a letter, tell us the letter.
Check the number before you order
The housing is marked 036 906 051 (or 036 906 051 D) together with the VW roundel; Magneti Marelli units also carry T-PRT04 /B and a batch code such as 2262 AA. If your old sensor is a 036 906 051 G, or your car is a 1.8 T or a TSI, this is not the right part — send us a photo of the old unit and we will identify the correct sensor.
Shipping and packing
Orders leave within one to two working days of cleared payment, boxed with the O-ring protected. Tracking is emailed when the parcel is handed to the carrier. Customs charges, where they apply, are the buyer’s responsibility.
Condition & warranty
Brand new, twelve months warranty against manufacturing defects. A sensor that has been cleaned with solvent, fitted without its O-ring, or damaged by oil ingress from a faulty breather system is outside the warranty. If a unit fails in service, send us the fault codes and live-data readings before returning anything.
Not sure this is the right sensor?
Send us the VIN, the engine code and a photograph of the old sensor’s label. MAP sensors are sold by shape far too often — the pressure range is what decides whether the ECU can believe the signal, and we would rather check it before you order.
Wholesale
Tiered pricing for 1 pc, 5 pcs and 20 pcs is shown below. Workshops and resellers stocking service items — sensors, switches, caps, thermostats — should ask for a combined quote, we price mixed orders.
