i'm not sure with your engine, its an intake sensor, either the IAT (intake air temp) which is most likely, or a volume measure, which but i believe you have a map sensor the reads vacuum.. not attached to the intake directly. (i have the maf version car 09+)

its just not good for there to be a leak in the system.. the sensor might be miss reading because of it, or in the case of the maf, it would be mis-metering fuel.. the map sensor reads differently though and would almost account for the leak.