P0722: Output Speed Sensor No Signal
Quick answer
P0722 is the standardised OBD-II code for output Speed Sensor No Signal. The computer is getting no signal at all from the output speed sensor, rather than a weak or noisy one, which points to a more complete circuit failure than a range or performance fault. The most likely cause is broken wire or connector at the sensor, not the most expensive one. Keep any driving short and light until it is repaired.
Severity 3 of 4. Short trips only.
Fix now · Short trips only
| Code | P0722 |
|---|---|
| Standard name | Output Speed Sensor No Signal |
| System | Transmission |
| Subsystem | Transmission output speed sensor |
| Sets the | Comprehensive component monitor |
| Severity | Fix now (3 of 4) |
| Safe to drive | Short trips only |
| Tool needed | Scanner with live data |
| Cause | How often | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Broken wire or connector at the sensor | Most likely | The most common and cheapest cause to check first. |
| Sensor completely failed | Common | A dead sensor produces no signal at all. |
| Blown fuse in the circuit | Worth checking | A lost supply voltage will read as no signal. |
| Badly damaged tone ring | Less common | A badly damaged ring gives the sensor nothing to read. |
| Internal transmission computer fault | Uncommon | Least likely, but possible. |
TOPDON TopScan Lite OBD2 Scanner, Bidirectional Scan Tool, 8 Resets & AI
Adds live sensor streams and freeze frame, which is what turns a code into a diagnosis rather than a guess.
Coverage varies by tool and by model year, so check a specific tool against a specific vehicle before buying.
What is the engine computer reporting with P0722?
The computer is getting no signal at all from the output speed sensor, rather than a weak or noisy one, which points to a more complete circuit failure than a range or performance fault.
The code sits in the transmission output speed sensor area and is reported by the comprehensive component monitor. It names the circuit or the condition where the computer saw a reading outside its expected range. It does not name a failed part, and several genuinely different faults set this same code, which is the whole reason the causes below are ordered rather than listed.
What people usually notice
- Speedometer reads zero
- Transmission defaults to a single gear
- Cruise control unavailable
- Very harsh or absent shifting
What is actually behind P0722?
The causes below are ordered by how often they turn out to be the answer, cheapest and most common first. That order matters more than the list itself: the expensive component named in the code text is very rarely the first thing to replace, and working down from the top is what stops a transmission output speed sensor fault becoming an expensive guess.
Broken wire or connector at the sensor is the one to rule out before anything else. The most common and cheapest cause to check first.
How do you diagnose P0722?
Start with freeze frame. Check whether the output speed reading was completely absent when the code set. That snapshot is taken at the instant the code set, and it is the single most useful piece of evidence you have, which is also why clearing the code before reading it is such a costly habit.
This code is diagnosed by watching values change rather than by reading the number again, so the tool has to stream live data and hold freeze frame. Live data confirms whether the signal is truly absent versus intermittent, guiding whether to check wiring or replace the sensor.
The order worth working in
- 1. Broken wire or connector at the sensor: The most common and cheapest cause to check first.
- 2. Sensor completely failed: A dead sensor produces no signal at all.
- 3. Blown fuse in the circuit: A lost supply voltage will read as no signal.
- 4. Badly damaged tone ring: A badly damaged ring gives the sensor nothing to read.
- 5. Internal transmission computer fault: Least likely, but possible.
Can you keep driving with P0722?
The transmission will likely default into a protective mode and the speedometer may stop working entirely, get this checked soon rather than driving on it for long.
This is a severity 3 of 4 code, which means continuing to drive normally risks damage that costs considerably more than the repair in front of you. Treat the lamp as an instruction rather than a notification.
What does it cost to ignore P0722?
Driving without a working speedometer and in a protective default gear for an extended time wastes fuel and adds unnecessary wear.
There is also the diagnostic cost of waiting. Freeze frame data, pending code history and the readiness monitor state all describe the fault as it was when it set, and all of it is lost the moment somebody clears the code to make the lamp go out.
Tools that can diagnose P0722
Adds live sensor streams and freeze frame, which is what turns a code into a diagnosis rather than a guess.
- LJPXHHU
OBD2 Bluetooth Scanner Car Code Reader for iOS, Android and Windows
- wireless
$13.98 Check pricePrices change often - Veepeak
Veepeak Mini Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner Code Reader for Android (NOT for iOS)
- wireless
$14.99 Check pricePrices change often - MOCATEC
WiFi ELM327 OBD2 Adapter WiFi ELM 327 OBD Scanner for Universal 12V Vehicle
- wireless
$15.95 Check pricePrices change often - UMEIJA
OBD2 Scanner Diagnostic Tool, Car Scanner for iOS & Android, Bluetooth 5.4
- wireless
$29.99 Check pricePrices change often
Common questions
What does code P0722 mean?
P0722 is the generic OBD-II code for output Speed Sensor No Signal. The computer is getting no signal at all from the output speed sensor, rather than a weak or noisy one, which points to a more complete circuit failure than a range or performance fault. It is a standardised definition, so it means the same thing on every manufacturer, although the fault behind it differs from car to car.
Can I drive with P0722?
The transmission will likely default into a protective mode and the speedometer may stop working entirely, get this checked soon rather than driving on it for long. On the severity scale this sits at 3 of 4, described as fix now. Whatever the code, a check engine light that starts flashing changes the answer immediately: that means an active misfire and the correct response is to reduce load and stop driving.
What is the most common cause of P0722?
Broken wire or connector at the sensor is the cause worth ruling out first. The most common and cheapest cause to check first. Work down the ordered list rather than replacing the component named in the code text, because that component is the expensive answer and it is rarely the right one.
Will P0722 clear itself?
If the underlying fault genuinely goes away, the computer turns the lamp off after the monitor passes on a number of consecutive drive cycles, and the code moves to history before ageing out. A code that clears and returns is not fixed, it is intermittent. Clearing it manually erases the freeze frame data and resets every readiness monitor to incomplete.
What scanner do I need for P0722?
This code is diagnosed by watching values change rather than by reading the number again, so the tool has to stream live data and hold freeze frame. Live data confirms whether the signal is truly absent versus intermittent, guiding whether to check wiring or replace the sensor. Vehicle coverage still varies by tool and by model year, so check a specific tool against a specific vehicle rather than assuming a capability tier guarantees access.