P0073: Ambient Air Temperature Sensor Circuit A High
What to do
No driveability impact. Have the connector inspected before the sensor is replaced.
What this code means
The ambient temperature signal is reading high, typically an open circuit or a short to supply. An open circuit is the most common finding here, and given where these sensors are mounted, a connector full of road salt is a more likely explanation than a failed thermistor.
Likely causes
Start here
- Open circuit in sensor wiring · moderate
- Corroded or loose connector · easy
- Faulty ambient air temperature sensor · easy
Less common
- Wiring shorted to voltage · moderate
Symptoms
Components involved
Information, not instruction
CarGeek is a reference, not a service manual. Its pages are written from public sources and from what other people have found, never from a manufacturer's own service information, so they can be wrong or incomplete for your particular vehicle. Some of what they describe carries real risk: high voltage, fuel under pressure, stored energy, hot and moving parts.
Have anything you intend to act on checked by a trained person against the manufacturer's own procedure for your vehicle. Nothing here replaces that procedure.
Community experience
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