The Lemon IndexThe transmission lost its output speed signal. Full P0720 page
15 owner complaints · the #1 code Infiniti Q50 owners name
2014–2016 Infiniti Q50 · most: 2015 (13), 2016 (1), 2014 (1)
Infiniti Q50 owners named P0720 in 15 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2015, 2016 and 2014 model years. The part they name most is the valve body or shift solenoid (7 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Infiniti Q50 model years that report P0720
Owner complaints naming P0720, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the valve body or shift solenoid, in 7 of the 15 complaints (47%). 4 of those mention it being replaced or repaired. Next: wheel speed (ABS) sensor (6), transmission computer (TCM) (4) and transmission (replaced or rebuilt) (2).
- Valve body or shift solenoid7 complaints4 mention a repair or replacement · what owners paid
- Wheel speed (ABS) sensor6 complaints3 mention a repair or replacement
- Transmission computer (TCM)4 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement · what owners paid
- Transmission replaced or rebuilt2 complaints2 mention a repair or replacement · what owners paid
5 complaints mention a recall.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0720
40% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Transmission slips or shifts hard20%3 of 15 complaints
- Shakes, runs rough or misfires20%3 of 15 complaints
- Loses power or goes into limp mode20%3 of 15 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults13%2 of 15 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P0720 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
P0500 8
Other codes named in the same Infiniti Q50 complaints, and in how many.
Recalls on these Infiniti Q50 years
- Transmission & drivetrain · 2014, 2015, 2016 · issued 2024
The driveshaft can fatigue and break. NHTSA 24V470000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2014 · issued 2014
The affected vehicles may have been assembled with transmissions whose housings were damaged during their manufacturing. NHTSA 14V582000
2 recalls for the same systems (powertrain and speed) on the Infiniti Q50 model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind P0720. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P0720: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Infiniti Q50 reliability by year
- 2015 Infiniti Q50 problems and recalls
P0720 on other cars
Ford F-Series (113)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0720 means
The transmission lost its output speed signal. The speedometer and shifting can act up.
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
- Failed output speed sensor
- Wiring fault
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11756528, 11750490, 11738665, 11718621, 11673542, 11649578, 11613558, 11586096, 11582897, 11548342, 11538467, 11485567 and 3 more.
Quick answers
What does P0720 mean on a Infiniti Q50?
Output Speed Sensor Circuit. The transmission lost its output speed signal. The speedometer and shifting can act up.
Which Infiniti Q50 years have the most P0720 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2015 (13), 2016 (1), 2014 (1) Infiniti Q50 named P0720 most (15 complaints in all, 2014–2016). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0720 on a Infiniti Q50?
Owners most often name the valve body or shift solenoid (7 of 15 complaints), then wheel speed (ABS) sensor and transmission computer (TCM). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
Can I drive my Infiniti Q50 with P0720?
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0720 on the Infiniti Q50, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.