OBD-II Code · Powertrain
P2228
Barometric Pressure Sensor "A" Circuit Low
Severity
low
Lowest on our scale. Fix it when convenient.
Can you drive it
Only if running normally
A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety.
Indicative cost (USD)
$80–$300
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
BARO sensor (often integrated in MAP) reading too low.
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
- Reduced power at altitude
Likely causes
- Failed MAP/BARO sensorMost common
- Wiring
- Cracked sensor housing
Read the full diagnostic procedureP2228 sets when the BARO sensor signal voltage falls below the expected lower threshold — typically below 0.5V on a 5V reference scaled at 60-105 kPa…
P2228 sets when the BARO sensor signal voltage falls below the expected lower threshold — typically below 0.5V on a 5V reference scaled at 60-105 kPa, which would represent a barometric pressure lower than any real-world elevation (Mt. Everest sits around 33 kPa, and the OBD-II calibration won't extend that low). Low input is almost always wiring or sensor failure rather than actual ambient conditions — a short to ground on the signal wire, a failed 5V reference at the sensor, or a sensor whose internal output transistor has failed shorted.
Cheapest-first
- DMM the signal wire at the sensor connector with key-on engine-off — should read 4.0-4.5V at sea level (atmospheric pressure pushes the diaphragm against ambient).
- If the signal is at 0V with the sensor unplugged at the ECU, the harness is shorted to ground between the ECU and connector.
- If signal goes to 4.5V with the sensor unplugged but drops back to 0V when reconnected, the sensor itself is internally shorted.
- Check the 5V reference at the connector — if reference is missing, look for a shorted sensor elsewhere on the same 5V bus (TPS, MAP, accelerator pedal) that's pulling the reference down.
- Inspect any external MAP/BARO sensor for oil contamination from the PCV path coating the silicon element.
- On integrated-PCM BARO, P2228 frequently points at an internal PCM fault.
Vehicle-specific patterns2007-2014 Ford F-150 / Edge / Explorer 3.5L EcoBoost throws P2228 with internal-PCM BARO — when wiring is verified clean, the PCM is the failure poin…
- 2007-2014Ford F-150 / Edge / Explorer 3.5L EcoBoost throws P2228 with internal-PCM BARO — when wiring is verified clean, the PCM is the failure point ($700-$1,200 with programming).
- 2006-2012GM 5.3L/6.0L Vortec trucks throw P2228 from a contaminated combination MAP/BARO sensor on the intake — oil intrusion through the PCV path shorts the silicon diaphragm circuit ($65-$140 sensor + 0.5 hr labor).
- 2008-2014Chrysler/Dodge 5.7L Hemi throws P2228 paired with multiple 5V-bus codes when a single sensor on the bus (often the MAP itself) fails shorted and drags the reference down — isolating one sensor at a time is the diagnostic.
- 2010-2015Toyota Tundra / Sequoia 5.7L 3UR-FE throws P2228 from a chafed harness where the MAP/BARO routes past the EGR pipe.
Estimated repair$65 to $1,200.
Look up another code
P2228 — frequently asked
What does a P2228 code mean?
BARO sensor (often integrated in MAP) reading too low.
What causes a P2228 code?
Common causes: Failed MAP/BARO sensor; Wiring; Cracked sensor housing.
What are the symptoms of a P2228 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Reduced power at altitude.
Is it safe to drive with a P2228 code?
Only if running normally. A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety. Estimated repair: $80-$300.
How do I diagnose a P2228 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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