P0322 on Audi: How to Diagnose & Fix
Ignition/Distributor Engine Speed Input Circuit No Signal
1 Audi model · 1 documented issue · 1 critical · $100-$400 repair
On Audi vehicles, P0322 (ignition/distributor engine speed input circuit no signal) is most often reported on the 2002-2008 Audi A4 as Broken Crank Sensor Harness Behind the Bellhousing Mimics a Dead Sensor ($100-$400 repair). Start at the connector, not the parts counter. Raise the car, find the G28 at the bellhousing and unplug it. Rated critical: A4 Broken Crank Sensor Harness Behind the Bellhousing Mimics a Dead Sensor. Each section below gives the symptoms, how to confirm the cause, the fix, parts and sources for that model.
Common causes of P0322 (all vehicles)
- Failed crankshaft/distributor RPM pickup sensor
- Open or broken wiring in the signal circuit
- Disconnected or corroded connector
- Failed ignition module
- Severely damaged reluctor/trigger wheel
P0322 on Audi by model: symptoms, diagnosis and fix
B6/B7 A4 owners who set P0322 almost always buy an engine speed sensor (G28) first, and a share of them are back on the forums a week later with the same code and the same no-start. The reason is that on this platform the failure is often the circuit rather than the pickup. The G28 lives at the bellhousing above the flywheel ring gear, and its lead runs up the back of the engine through a zone that sees exhaust heat, oil weepage and constant vibration from engine rock. Insulation hardens and chafes, a conductor breaks inside the loom, or the connector's female terminals spread and oxidise - and any of those gives the ECM the same result as a dead sensor: zero pulses, and P0322 stored as no signal. Ross-Tech's guidance for 16706/P0322 is explicitly to check the wiring to and from the sensor and the ECM before condemning the part, and at least one documented case traced the fault to a broken signal wire far from the sensor, up in the main loom near the ECU under the scuttle panel. Owners describe an engine that cranks at normal speed and never fires, sometimes preceded by weeks of hot-restart hesitation or a stall pulling into a parking space. Both the 1.8T and the 2.0T FSI are affected, and the code often shows up alongside P0321 (implausible/erratic signal) when the circuit is intermittently making contact rather than fully open - that pairing is a strong hint that the problem is a connection, not the sensor element. On the A4 there is also a purely mechanical version of the same complaint: a replacement sensor that is not pushed fully into its bore, or whose retaining bolt is left loose, sits at too large an air gap and reproduces the no-signal fault straight after the repair. What makes this pattern worth calling out separately is the money it wastes - the sensor is cheap, but diagnosis by parts substitution is not.
Common Symptoms
- Cranks but will not start
- Code returns after a new crankshaft position sensor is fitted
- Stalling when hot
- P0321 stored alongside P0322
- Zero RPM on scan tool while cranking
How to Fix
Start at the connector, not the parts counter. Raise the car, find the G28 at the bellhousing and unplug it. Inspect the pigtail along its whole visible run for chafe, heat damage and oil soaking, and look at both halves of the connector for spread pins, corrosion or green film; a terminal that has lost tension can be re-tensioned or the connector body replaced with a repair pigtail. With the sensor unplugged, measure its resistance across the signal terminals - an open reading condemns it - and then check continuity and insulation on the harness side back to the ECM connector, plus the shield and grounds. Wiggle-testing the loom while watching engine speed on a scan tool during cranking will usually expose an intermittent break; note that on documented cases the break was not near the sensor at all but up in the main loom by the ECU, so do not stop at the engine bay. If the wiring is good and the sensor is open, fit a Bosch or genuine Audi replacement rather than a bargain unit; poor-quality sensors are a recurring theme in the threads on this code. Whichever part you fit, seat it all the way to its shoulder in the bore and tighten the retaining bolt properly - a common "new sensor didn't fix it" outcome is nothing more than a sensor that was not fully seated. If the harness is the culprit, repair it with soldered and heat-shrunk joints or a factory repair lead, and re-route the section away from the exhaust so the same chafe point does not come back. Clear the fault, then verify with the scan tool that engine speed reads correctly while cranking and that the code does not return after several heat cycles. Parts run roughly $40-$150 for the sensor and very little for a repair pigtail; a shop will typically bill an hour of diagnosis plus an hour of labour, putting the whole job in the $150-$400 range.
Looking for P0322 on a different make?
View P0322 across all makes →Frequently asked questions
What does P0322 mean on a Audi?
P0322 stands for "Ignition/Distributor Engine Speed Input Circuit No Signal." The ECM/PCM is receiving no signal at all from the ignition/distributor engine-speed input circuit. With no RPM reference, the controller cannot properly time spark and fuel, which typically causes a no-start or stall. Usually an open circuit or completely failed pickup. On Audi it is documented across 1 model: A4.
How do I diagnose P0322 on a Audi A4?
Start at the connector, not the parts counter. Raise the car, find the G28 at the bellhousing and unplug it. Inspect the pigtail along its whole visible run for chafe, heat damage and oil soaking, and look at both halves of the connector for spread pins, corrosion or green film; a terminal that has lost tension can be re-tensioned or the connector body replaced with a repair pigtail. Published repair guidance and available estimates are in the A4 section on this page.
What causes P0322 on Audi vehicles?
Documented causes on Audi: Broken Crank Sensor Harness Behind the Bellhousing Mimics a Dead Sensor. Generic causes of P0322: Failed crankshaft/distributor RPM pickup sensor, Open or broken wiring in the signal circuit, Disconnected or corroded connector, Failed ignition module.
How much does it cost to fix P0322 on a Audi?
Published repair estimates on Audi range from $100 to $400 depending on the model and root cause. If an issue mentions a recall or campaign, check your VIN with the manufacturer or NHTSA and confirm eligibility and coverage with a dealer.
Content compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, and owner reports. May contain errors. Always verify with your vehicle's service manual.