Recently, I had a check engine light on my 2001 Ford Windstar, so I took it to Autozone to have the code read. It came back with code P1518, with stands for “Intake Manifold Runner Control Stuck Open.”
After reading forums, most pointed to a plastic “bushing” clip coming off leaving a control arm hanging loose, leaving the intake manifold hanging open. Luckily, I found a pack of replacement bushings (Dorman #47099) at O’Reilly Auto and managed to get a new one on with a couple pliers, and then I reinserted the control arm. Forums say that when this is replaced, the CEL should turn off on its own within a few days (about 60-120 miles of driving).
A few days later, the check engine light DID go away on its own. It’s difficult to say with certainty, but my van also feels a bit more responsive, especially accelerating to highway speeds. So all in all, a good $6 experiment seems to have paid off! I’ve heard from a number of YouTube commenters that this simple fix saved them hundreds at the dealership.
