Carrier Air-conditioner 51-01 Error Code — Meaning & Causes (2026)
Outdoor air thermistor open — the outdoor air temperature sensor read above 465 kohm for 1 second, so the control substitutes the coil sensor and limits compressor speed. Below: what triggers it and what to check — this code carries no single repair to price. Reviewed July 2026.
What 51-01 means
Outdoor air thermistor open — the outdoor air temperature sensor read above 465 kohm for 1 second, so the control substitutes the coil sensor and limits compressor speed.
Likely causes, most common first
- Failed (open-circuit) outdoor air thermistor
- Disconnected or damaged sensor harness
Base: 1 published national repair-cost guide (retrieved 2026-07) · full source registry on the methodology page · Code meaning & causes · Reviewed July 2026
No single repair to price for this code
51-01 doesn't point at one failed component, so we don't attach a price module — forcing a repair mapping here would be dishonest. If the code keeps returning, the underlying symptom (not the code) is what gets priced: browse the central air conditioning repair costs for the problem you're actually seeing.
Codes are universal — your location changes the repair price, never the code's meaning. See the methodology for the exact localization formula and sources.
Reviewed by a Red Seal–certified appliance technician who also holds a Technical Safety BC gas ticket (Gas-C) and an ODS/halocarbon refrigerant ticket (CFC/HCFC/HFC).