P0722 Code: Output Speed Sensor Circuit No Signal
The output speed sensor sends nothing while the car moves – shifting and often the speedometer fail.
At a glance
Severity: Moderate
- Meaning
- Output Speed Sensor Circuit No Signal
- System
- Transmission · Powertrain
- Safe to drive?
- With caution
- Typical repair cost
- $50–$2,400
- DIY difficulty
- Moderate
With P0722 the module sees no pulses from the output speed sensor even though other information – input shaft speed in gear, engine load, or ABS wheel speeds – says the vehicle is moving. That is almost always an open circuit or a dead sensor: a snapped wire, a connector knocked off by road debris or left unplugged after transmission, driveshaft or transfer case work, a sensor whose coil or Hall element has failed, or a Hall sensor that has lost its supply voltage. Since the transmission no longer knows road speed, it typically stops upshifting or goes into limp mode, and on vehicles where the speedometer runs off this sensor the needle drops to zero and the odometer stops counting.
Can I keep driving? Limit driving to getting the car to a shop. Without a speed signal the transmission may hold a low gear or a limp gear, and if the speedometer reads zero you have no reliable way to check your speed – use a phone GPS app and stay off the highway.
How to read P0722
- P Powertrain
- 0 Generic (SAE)
- 7 Transmission
- 22 Specific fault
Symptoms
- Speedometer drops to zero and odometer stops (on vehicles that use this sensor)
- No upshift, or transmission stuck in limp mode
- Cruise control inoperative
- ABS, traction or stability warning lights on some models
- Engine revs high at road speed because the gear isn't changing
- Check engine light with P0700 and often a vehicle speed sensor code
Possible causes
Ranked by how often each cause is behind this code (editorial estimate).
- Output speed sensor dead (open coil or failed Hall element)
- Connector unplugged or not latched after recent work
- Broken or torn wire from road debris or contact with the driveshaft
- Blown fuse or lost supply voltage to a Hall-type sensor
- Sensor inside conductor plate, mechatronic or transfer case failed
- Transmission module input fault
Diagnosis step by step
Confirm the signal is truly zero
On a short, careful drive, compare output speed with input speed and ABS wheel speeds. Output fixed at 0 while the others rise confirms no signal; if input speed is also zero, suspect a shared fuse or supply first.
Tools: OBD-II scanner
Look for obvious damage and loose plugs
Inspect the sensor and connector from below: on RWD at the tail housing, on FWD near the differential, on 4WD often on the transfer case. Look for a dangling connector, torn wires near the driveshaft, or a sensor body broken by a rock.
Tools: Flashlight
Check fuses and supply
For three-wire Hall sensors, check the fuse feeding the transmission sensors and measure supply and ground at the harness with the key on. No supply voltage means the fault is upstream, not in the sensor.
Tools: Multimeter
Measure the sensor and wiring
For two-wire magnetic sensors, an open (infinite) resistance means the sensor is dead. Then check both wires from the sensor connector to the module for continuity, under about 1 ohm each, and for any short to ground.
Tools: Multimeter
Replace, verify and check the speedometer
Fit the new sensor with a fresh O-ring, torque the bolt and clear codes. Road-test through all gears and confirm the speedometer, shift points and cruise are back; don't run the car in gear with drive wheels off the ground outside a shop.
Tools: Torque wrench, OBD-II scanner
Where the parts are
- 1Battery
- 2Alternator
- 3Engine computer (ECM)
- 4CAN bus
- 5Transmission
- 6Wheel speed sensor
- 7High-voltage battery
Repair options & costs
| Repair | DIY? | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Reconnect and secure sensor connector | Yes | $50–$150 |
| Repair torn wiring and reroute away from driveshaft | No | $120–$320 |
| Replace fuse and trace short on supply circuit | No | $80–$250 |
| Replace external output speed sensor | Yes | $150–$350 |
| Replace conductor plate or mechatronic with integrated sensor | No | $900–$2,400 |
Rough US estimates for parts and labor; shop rates vary by region. Not a quote.
Notes by brand
Field data
| Ford | 75 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet | 4 | Aveo4, Express Passenger G2500, Malibu Eco Eassist | |
| Dodge | 3 | Caliber | |
| Hyundai | 2 | Elantra Gt |
Source: NHTSA Complaints API (US government open data), analyzed by DTC mention.
Emissions / smog test impact
Will fail
P0722 keeps the check engine light on, which fails an OBD emissions or smog test; a speedometer reading zero may also fail a state safety inspection.
Frequently asked questions
My speedometer died and the transmission won't shift – is that one fault?
Very likely. On many vehicles the output speed sensor feeds both the transmission module and the speedometer. When its signal disappears, both lose road speed at once, which is a strong pointer to this sensor or its wiring.
Why did P0722 appear right after other work on the car?
The output sensor sits close to the driveshaft, exhaust and transfer case. Removing any of these makes it easy to leave its connector unplugged or trap the wire, so check that first after recent repairs.
Can I test the sensor by spinning the wheels in the air?
Shops do this on a lift with proper support, but running a car in gear with its drive wheels raised on jack stands at home is dangerous. A careful low-speed road test with a scan tool is the safer DIY option.
Is P0722 the same as a vehicle speed sensor code?
Related but not identical. P0722 is set by the transmission for its output sensor; a vehicle speed sensor code comes from the engine computer. When both sensors are the same part, both codes often appear together.