EngineLightCodes
Powertrain code

P0716 Input/Turbine Shaft Speed Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance

Severity
Fix soon
Typical repair cost
$160–$1,650
Do it yourself
Shop job
Shop time
1–8 hours

The input or turbine shaft speed sensor – a Hall sensor with square-wave output or an inductive sensor with sine output – reports the speed behind the torque converter.

How the engine computer detects it

With output and engine speed it gives the actual gear ratio, converter slip and shift timing. P0716 means a signal is present but implausible: too high, or dropping suddenly without recovering. GM's 2025 modules count drops of more than 650 rpm between 25 ms samples and fail after more than three; the 6T70 in the Saab 9-4X flags a 1350 rpm drop for 1 s; the 2007 Allison 1000 also detects noise and swapped sensor wires; all after one trip. Ford's 6R80 flags turbine speed above 7700 rpm. The 6T70 then runs only reverse and fifth gear, with maximum line pressure and no converter clutch.

Written from public technical sources and not yet checked by a mechanic. How we write these pages

Symptoms

  • Check engine and/or transmission warning lamp
  • Limp mode with fixed gear (6T70: reverse and fifth only)
  • Harsh or delayed shifts
  • Torque converter clutch locked out

Common causes

  1. Loose contact or chafing in the sensor circuit Most likely
  2. Sensor faulty, wrong air gap or metal debris Possible
  3. Reluctor wheel or clutch drum damaged Possible
  4. Sensor wires swapped after repair or interference Less likely

How to diagnose P0716

  1. Read every stored code with an OBD-II scanner. If misfire or fuel trim codes are there too, fix those first: they often cause this one.
  2. Inspect the parts involved: input speed sensor, sensor wiring, transmission control module.
  3. Work through the causes above from most to least likely, cheapest checks first.
  4. Clear the code and drive a full drive cycle to confirm the repair held.

Vehicles that report P0716 most

VehicleYearsReportsMedian miles
GMC Acadia2007–2008363k
Acura MDX2016–20173—

Counts of owner complaints to the NHTSA that mention P0716 (21 in total), not failure rates: popular models get more complaints simply because more of them are on the road. Models with fewer than 3 complaints are left out.

Reading the code

P
Powertrain
0
Generic (SAE) code
7
Transmission
16
Specific fault

Questions drivers ask

Can I drive with code P0716?

Drive gently and only as far as you need to. The engine computer may limit power to protect the engine, so avoid highways and heavy traffic until it's fixed. If the check engine light starts flashing, pull over.

Will my car pass an emissions inspection with P0716?

Probably not in states that test vehicles with an OBD-II scan: an emissions-related code that keeps the check engine light on is usually an automatic fail. Rules differ by state and county, so check yours.

Often reported together

Codes that owners mention in the same NHTSA complaints as P0716. They can point to a shared cause, so it's worth checking them together.

This page is general information, not a substitute for a professional diagnosis. Repair costs are rough estimates for parts and labor and vary by vehicle and region.