OBD-II Code · Powertrain
P0223
Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor "B" Circuit High
Severity
high
Left alone, this one tends to take other parts with it.
Can you drive it
Not for long
Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it.
Indicative cost (USD)
$200–$800
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
TPS/APP sensor B reading above expected range.
How a shop works this
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.
Note every code that is set, not just this one.
Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.
Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.
Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.
Confirm the fault is current rather than history.
Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.
Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
That order is what a shop checks first for this code — wiring and connections before the component they run to, because a connector costs nothing to inspect and is a common answer.
If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.
Common symptoms
- Check engine light
- Limp mode
Likely causes
- Failed sensorMost common
- Short to power
- Bad ground
Read the full diagnostic procedureP0223 indicates TPS sensor B signal voltage exceeded the upper limit (typically above 4.80 V) for the persistence window, pointing to a short to volt…
P0223 indicates TPS sensor B signal voltage exceeded the upper limit (typically above 4.80 V) for the persistence window, pointing to a short to voltage, an open ground inside the sensor, or a complete sensor failure where the wiper has lost contact.
Cheapest first
- backprobe TPS-B signal at the connector key-on — if it reads pinned at or near 5 V with the throttle closed (where it should read ~4.5 V on inverted-track platforms or ~0.5 V on direct-track platforms), confirm the sensor ground at the connector with a voltage drop test (under 100 mV to battery negative under load).
- Disconnect the sensor: if the signal wire still reads 5 V at the harness side, you have a short to the 5 V reference somewhere in the harness, not a bad sensor.
- If the harness side reads 0 V with the sensor unplugged, plug it back in and the high reading returns, the sensor is open internally.
- Caveat: on GM ETC trucks, carbon on the throttle plate can prevent the plate from fully closing, leaving TPS-B reading higher than the learned closed value at idle — induction clean plus relearn before swapping the throttle body.
Vehicle-specific patterns2007-2014 GM 5.3L/6.2L (LC9/L94/L9H) — carbon buildup on throttle plate keeps it cracked open at rest, TPS-B reads high at idle; throttle body cleani…
- 2007-2014GM 5.3L/6.2L (LC9/L94/L9H) — carbon buildup on throttle plate keeps it cracked open at rest, TPS-B reads high at idle; throttle body cleaning plus idle/ETC relearn fixes it without replacement.
- 2005-2010Honda Accord/Odyssey 3.5L (J35) — integrated TPS internal open, ETB assembly replacement is the only path (no separate sensor).
- 2007-2013Nissan Frontier/Xterra 4.0L (VQ40DE) — TSB NTB08-016 covers ETB part 16119-EA000 for repeated P0223.
- 2006-2012Ford Escape 3.0L Duratec — sensor ground open at the PCM connector C175 pin 31, repair pin tension before replacing throttle body.
Estimated repair$90 to $600.
Look up another code
P0223 — frequently asked
What does a P0223 code mean?
TPS/APP sensor B reading above expected range.
What causes a P0223 code?
Common causes: Failed sensor; Short to power; Bad ground.
What are the symptoms of a P0223 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Limp mode.
Is it safe to drive with a P0223 code?
Not for long. Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it. Estimated repair: $200-$800.
How do I diagnose a P0223 code?
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed. 1. Note every code that is set, not just this one. 2. Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under. 3. Confirm the fault is current rather than history. 4. Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
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