P0222: Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor B Circuit Low
Key takeaways
- P0222 means the second throttle position sensor (sensor B) is sending a voltage lower than a working sensor can produce.
- It usually puts the car in reduced-power (limp) mode, which limits speed, so drive short trips only and stay off the highway.
- A bad connection, a chafed wire or a shorted 5-volt reference causes it more often than the sensor itself; wiring repair runs $100–$250.
- If the sensor is at fault on a drive-by-wire car, the fix is a new electronic throttle body at $300–$700.
- Mazda fixed P0222 on 2011–2013 Mazda6 and CX-9 models with an improved throttle body harness; Chrysler-group bulletins are mostly PCM software updates.
What P0222 means
The second throttle position sensor’s signal is lower than it should ever be, so the computer treats it as a broken circuit. Scanners call it “Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch B Circuit Low.” A drive-by-wire throttle body has two sensors watching the same throttle plate, A and B, so the computer can cross-check them. Each gets a 5-volt supply and a ground and sends back a voltage that changes as the throttle opens. Even at closed throttle, a working sensor never reads near zero. When sensor B’s signal drops below that floor, P0222 sets. That almost always means an open, a short to ground or a lost reference, not a worn sensor.
Is it safe to drive?
Short trips only. With one of its two throttle sensors unreliable, the computer usually goes into reduced-power (limp) mode: the throttle is held to a small opening and speed is limited. You can usually limp to a nearby shop. Don’t take it on the highway, because the car may not accelerate enough to merge or keep up.
The symptom that changes the answer: the engine won’t rise above idle, surges on its own, or stalls. Then have it towed.
Causes, ranked
| Cause | How you confirm it | Typical cost (US independent shop, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Loose, corroded or damaged connector at the throttle body | Inspect pins and lock tab; reseat and clear the code | $100–$250 |
| Chafed wire shorting to ground or broken signal wire | Continuity and short-to-ground checks; signal drops when the harness is moved | $100–$250 |
| 5-volt reference pulled low by another sensor sharing it | Several sensor codes at once; the reference recovers when the other sensor is unplugged | $100–$250 plus that sensor |
| Failed sensor, meaning the electronic throttle body | Good 5 V and ground at the connector, but the B signal is still low | $300–$700 |
| Software (Chrysler-group) | Dealer checks for a PCM update | $100–$200, or free under warranty |
| Computer (ECM/PCM) | No 5 V reference out of the module with wiring proven good; rare | $800–$1,800 plus programming |
What to check first
- Read every stored code. P0222 with P0122 or other sensor codes points to a shared reference or ground, not one sensor.
- Unplug and inspect the throttle body connector. Look for corrosion, oil in the plug, and spread or pushed-back pins.
- Check the harness where it bends near the throttle body and where it rubs on brackets.
- Measure the 5-volt reference and ground at the connector with the key on before condemning the throttle body.
- Run the relearn after any repair, and clean the throttle body while it’s accessible.
- Ask about a software update on a Dodge, Jeep or Chrysler.
The bulletins fall into three groups. Most are Chrysler-group PCM reprogramming updates for 2013–2016 Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler models that list P0222 among other codes. Mazda traced P0222 on 2011–2013 Mazda6 and CX-9 models to electrical noise in the engine harness and fixed it with an improved throttle body harness, and separately describes P0222 setting after a throttle body replacement on 2003–2004 Mazda6s. Ford has drivability bulletins for the 2014–2016 Transit Connect 2.5L and the 2012–2014 Focus 2.0L.
What it costs
The cheap outcome is a reseated or cleaned connector, or a software update at $100–$200. The common outcome is a wiring or connector repair at $100–$250. The expensive outcome is a new electronic throttle body at $300–$700, or rarely a computer. Proving the wiring first is what keeps you out of the expensive column. If you want help reading the other codes on your scan, ask our AI mechanic.
Related codes
P0223 is the same sensor reading high and P0221 its range/performance code. P0122 is sensor A reading low; together with P0222 it points to a shared wire. P2135 often follows because the two sensors disagree. If pedal codes like P2122 show up too, suspect the shared 5-volt reference. If the car has stalled on you, see car stalls while driving.
What owners report to NHTSA
11 complaints filed with NHTSA mention P0222, 10 of them since 2015, across 9 different models. The component owners most often filed it under: electrical system.
Manufacturer service bulletins that name P0222
30 technical service bulletins and manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA mention P0222, from 5 makes. A bulletin means the manufacturer has documented a known cause or a fix procedure for that model. Examples:
- FORD TRANSIT CONNECT (2014, 2015, 2016), bulletin 10094582: SOME 2014-2016 TRANSIT CONNECT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.5L ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A CONSTANT OR INTERMITTENT ILLUMINATED MIL WITH VARIOUS DRIVABILITY ISSUES AND ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING DTCS: P0010, P0103, P0104, P01…
- JEEP WRANGLER (2016), bulletin 10121706: 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…
- DODGE CHARGER (2016), bulletin 10129030: Flash: Powertrain Diagnostic And System Improvements This bulletin involves reprogramming of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest software. Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illum…
- DODGE CHALLENGER (2016), bulletin 10135115: Flash: Powertrain Diagnostic And System Improvements This bulletin involves reprogramming of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with the latest software. Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illum…
- JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE (2016), bulletin 10136529: 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…
- CHRYSLER 300 (2015), bulletin 10084055: "FLASH: DIAGNOSTIC AND SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS THIS BULLETIN INVOLVES REPROGRAMMING OF THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) WITH THE LATEST AVAILABLE SOFTWARE. CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS AN…
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
What is throttle position sensor B?
Drive-by-wire throttle bodies have two position sensors, A and B, that read the same throttle plate in different ways so the computer can check one against the other. P0222 is about the second one. Both are almost always built into the throttle body.
Can I drive with P0222?
For short, low-speed trips, usually. With one sensor unreliable, most cars limit throttle and speed, so avoid the highway. If the engine won't rev, surges or stalls, have it towed.
Why do I have P0122 and P0222 at the same time?
Both throttle sensors reading low at once points to something they share: the connector, the 5-volt reference or the ground. That's a wiring diagnosis before it's a parts purchase.
Can a new throttle body cause P0222?
It can. Mazda bulletins for the 2003–2004 Mazda6 describe P0222 or P2135 setting right after a throttle body replacement with certain part numbers. Wrong or mismatched parts and a skipped relearn are worth ruling out after any throttle work.