ECU not getting a clean RPM signal.
P0320 — also written PO32O, P 0320, 0320 — is the OBD-II code for ignition / distributor engine speed input. Same code, same fix: this page covers every spelling of it.
Basically, the brain of the car (ECU) has lost track of where the pistons are. On UK roads, we see this most often as a crank sensor failing or a crusty reluctor ring on older Focus and Astra models.
P0320 is a ignition fault code, typically costing £80–£400 to put right in a UK garage.
What P0320 actually feels like to drive
- The car just dies while sitting at the lights, then won't restart for 10 minutes.
- Engine 'stutters' or jerks violently for a split second while cruising at 60mph.
- The rev counter needle starts bouncing around like a loon or drops to zero while driving.
- Extended cranking time—you're turning the key for 5–10 seconds before it fires.
- Complete non-start on a rainy morning due to moisture in the sensor plug.
What causes P0320?
- Failed crank sensor
- Wiring damage
- Reluctor ring damaged
UK vehicles that throw P0320 most often
- Ford Focus 1.6 Ti-VCT (2005-2011)
- Vauxhall Astra H/J 1.7 CDTi (Z17DTJ engine)
- Volkswagen Golf Mk5/Mk6 1.9/2.0 TDI (PD and CR engines)
- Land Rover Discovery 3/4 TDV6 (Often wiring related)
- Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi (2006-2012)
- Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi (K9K engine)
How P0320 is fixed
- Crank sensor replacement
- Wiring repair
The P0320 misdiagnosis that wastes money
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen brand new batteries and starter motors chucked at this. Because the car struggles to fire up or cuts out, folks think it’s a power issue. In reality, it’s usually the crank sensor failing once it gets up to temperature, or even more common on older Fords, the wiring loom has rubbed through on a bracket near the gearbox. People swap the sensor with a £15 eBay special that's 'dead on arrival', think it didn't fix it, and then go down a rabbit hole of replacing the ECU. Don't buy unbranded sensors.
What a UK garage should charge for P0320
A basic diagnostic scan to confirm P0320 usually runs you £50 to £80 plus VAT in an indie. For a standard Focus or Astra, a quality Bosch sensor is about £40-£60, plus an hour's labour, so you're looking at £120-£150 total. However, if it's the reluctor ring on the crankshaft that's corroded (very common on high-mileage TDI Volkswagens), you're looking at a gearbox-off job or a serious strip-down, which can easily north of £400. Main dealers will easily double these prices with their £150+ hourly rates.
P0320 repair cost in the UK
Most P0320 repairs land between £80–£400 including parts and labour. The spread is wide because the cheap fix (a sensor, a hose, a leak) and the expensive fix (a major component) throw the same code — which is why a proper diagnosis before parts are bought saves the most money.
Bob's tip on P0320
If your car has cut out and won't restart, but then fires up perfectly 20 minutes later once it's cooled down, that’s your smoking gun for a failing crank sensor. When you call the garage, don't just ask for a 'diagnostic'—tell them you want a 'live data' check or an oscilloscope trace on the engine speed signal while the car is hot. If the signal looks like a mountain range instead of a clean picket fence, the sensor is toast. Insist on a Bosch, Delphi, or Denso replacement; the cheap white-box parts from the local factor will have you back in the workshop within a month.
Can you drive with P0320?
May not start.
Urgency: high.