P0000: No Trouble Codes Found
Key takeaways
- P0000 is not a fault: most scanners show it when the engine computer reports no stored trouble codes.
- If the check engine light is off and the car runs normally, there is nothing to fix.
- If the light is on but the scanner shows P0000, the fault is usually stored somewhere a basic reader can't see, such as a pending code, a manufacturer code or another module.
- A professional scan of every module costs about $100–$180 at an independent shop and is often credited toward the repair.
- Ford and Fiat Chrysler bulletins describe P0000 appearing after a self-test or needing an engine computer update on some 2016–2022 models.
What P0000 means
Your car’s computer answered the scanner and said it has no trouble codes stored. P0000 isn’t a fault. Many scanners and phone apps display it, often as “No Trouble Codes Found” or “No DTCs,” when the engine computer reports an empty fault list. Some tools show it for a code slot that holds no code. There is no sensor, circuit or monitor behind it, and nothing on the car sets it because a part failed.
So if your check engine light is off and the car drives normally, P0000 is good news. The only time it needs a second look is when the light is on and the scanner still says P0000.
Is it safe to drive?
Yes. P0000 means no fault is stored, so it says nothing is wrong with the engine or emissions system.
What changes the answer is what the car is doing, not the code. If the check engine light is on, get a full scan soon. If the light is flashing, the engine is shaking, the temperature gauge is climbing or the car has lost power, stop and get it checked before long drives. A flashing light usually means a misfire that can damage the catalytic converter, and a basic reader may still miss it for a drive cycle or two.
Causes, ranked
These are the reasons you see P0000 when you think you shouldn’t, most common first.
| Cause | How you confirm it | Typical cost (US independent shop, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing is wrong; the light is off | Check engine light off, car runs normally | $0 |
| Code was just cleared or the battery was disconnected | Codes and monitors reset; readiness monitors show “not complete” | $0; drive normally for a few days |
| Pending code the basic reader doesn’t show | A tool that reads pending codes (mode 7) shows one; light may come and go | $0 with a better free reader; $100–$180 shop scan |
| Fault stored in another module or as a manufacturer code | Shop-level scan of all modules (transmission, ABS, body) finds it | $100–$180 diagnostic fee |
| Scanner not fully talking to the engine computer | Different reader shows codes; connector or tool problem | $0–$180 |
| Known engine computer software condition | A bulletin covers your make, model and year | $100–$200, often $0 under warranty or a bulletin |
What to check first
- Look at the dash. If the check engine light is off, you’re done. If it’s on, the scanner missed something; see check engine light but no codes for the full list of reasons.
- Scan again with the key on and engine off, then with it running. Make sure the tool says it connected to the engine computer, not just the port.
- Check pending codes and readiness monitors. Many cheap readers skip both. Our guide to reading check engine codes covers what each screen means.
- Get a free code read at a parts store, then a full-module shop scan ($100–$180) if the light is still on. Shop tools read manufacturer codes and every module.
- Don’t clear anything yet. Clearing wipes the freeze-frame data a shop uses to find an intermittent fault.
- Ask about bulletins on some Fords, Jeeps and Fiats. Ford bulletins say some 2016–2022 diesel F-150, F-Super Duty and F-650/F-750 trucks store P0000 after an on-demand self-test because of a processing error in the engine computer. The 2017 Jeep Renegade, Fiat 500, 500X and 124 Spider bulletins reprogram the engine computer for check engine light concerns and list P0000 among the codes.
NHTSA’s complaint files hold only 2 owner complaints that mention P0000, which fits a code that usually means nothing is wrong.
What it costs
The cheap outcome, and the usual one, is $0: the light is off and there is nothing to fix. If the light is on and a basic reader shows P0000, the common outcome is a shop scan at $100–$180, which is often credited toward whatever repair it finds. The expensive outcome is only what that scan uncovers, priced on that code’s own page. Paying for a proper scan first costs less than replacing parts on a guess. If you’d like help reading what your scanner shows, ask our AI mechanic.
Related codes
On Fords, P1000 is the other “not really a fault” code: it means the readiness tests haven’t finished since the codes were cleared or the battery was disconnected.
What owners report to NHTSA
2 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0000, 2 of them since 2015, across 2 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: electrical system.
Manufacturer service bulletins that name P0000
18 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P0000, from 3 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:
- FORD F-350 SD (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), bulletin 10208829: Some 2018-2020 F-150, 2017-2022 F-Super Duty and 2016-2022 F-650/F-750 vehicles equipped with a diesel engine may exhibit diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0000 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM) after an on-dema…
- JEEP RENEGADE (2017), bulletin 10198418: Flash: Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates This bulletin involves reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest available software. Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illu…
- FORD F-550 SD (2017, 2016), bulletin 10095864: SOME 2017 F-SUPER DUTY AND 2016-2017 F-650/F-750 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 6.7L ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A DTC P0000. THIS DTC IS DUE TO A PROCESSING ERROR IN THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) AS A RESULT OF ON DEMAND SELF TE…
- FIAT 500X (2017), bulletin 10121817: Flash: Powertrain Diagnostic and System Improvements This bulletin involves reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest available software. Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL…
- FIAT 500 (2017), bulletin 10121802: Flash: Powertrain Diagnostic and System Improvements This bulletin involves reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest software. Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumina…
- FIAT 124 SPIDER (2017), bulletin 10138936: Flash: Powertrain Diagnostic and System Enhancements This bulletin involves reprogramming the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest available software. Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL…
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database and manufacturer communications file, snapshots September 2026. A complaint or bulletin that mentions a code is a report about that vehicle, not a statement that the code has one cause.
Frequently asked questions
Is P0000 a real trouble code?
Not in the usual sense. Many scanners display P0000 as a placeholder meaning the engine computer answered and has no fault stored. It isn't a part failure and there's nothing to replace.
Why does my scanner say P0000 when my check engine light is on?
A basic reader often shows only confirmed generic codes from the engine computer. The light can be on for a pending code, a manufacturer-specific code, or a fault stored in the transmission or another module. A full scan with a shop-level tool usually finds it.
Can I drive with P0000?
Yes. P0000 means no fault is stored. If the check engine light is on anyway, drive normally but get a full scan; if the light flashes or the car runs badly, get it checked before long trips.
Why did P0000 show up after my Ford diesel was scanned?
Ford bulletins for some 2016–2022 diesel F-150, F-Super Duty and F-650/F-750 trucks describe P0000 being stored after an on-demand self-test because of a processing error in the engine computer. The bulletins treat it as a known software condition, not a failed part.