P0705: Transmission range sensor circuit malfunction
The gearbox’s range sensor, which reports the selector position (P, R, N, D), gives no signal, or one that can’t be right. The engine may not start, and the gearbox may go into limp mode.
Updated
What P0705 means
The transmission range sensor, also called the selector position sensor or neutral safety switch, tells the gearbox module and the engine computer where the selector is: P, R, N, D or a manual mode. The car uses it to allow starting only in P or N, to switch on the reversing lights and to choose the gear.
P0705 means its signal is missing, or doesn’t make sense, for example two positions at once.
P0706 to P0709: range, low, high and intermittent
P0706 means the signal doesn’t match the selector’s movement, P0707 and P0708 that it’s too low or too high, and P0709 that it drops out now and then. The checks are the same: the sensor’s adjustment, its plug and wiring, and the selector cable.
P0706: Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance
P0707: Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit Low
P0708: Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit High
P0709: Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit Intermittent
Can I keep driving?
Drive gently
Drive gently and have it checked soon. The gearbox may go into limp mode, and the engine may not start, or not restart once switched off, if the car can’t tell that it’s in P or N. The gear display and the reversing lights may be wrong: start the engine only with your foot on the brake, and always put the lever in P and apply the parking brake before getting out.
General guidance based on the code alone, not on the car’s actual condition. If in doubt, stop and ask a mechanic.
The engine may not restart once switched off, so avoid stopping somewhere you can’t leave the car until it’s fixed.
Symptoms
- The engine won’t start, or starts only sometimes.
- The gear display blinks, shows dashes or shows the wrong position.
- The reversing lights don’t work, or come on in the wrong position.
- Harsh shifts, or the gearbox stays in one gear.
Common causes
- Faulty or misadjusted transmission range sensor. The sensor has to line up with the selector shaft; after gearbox work it can be out of adjustment.
- Wiring or connector fault at the sensor. The sensor sits on the gearbox, where its plug is exposed to dirt, water and heat.
- Selector cable or linkage out of adjustment or damaged. Then the lever and the sensor disagree about the position, although the sensor itself is fine.
Typical fixes
- Read all codes, including any from the gearbox module.
- Check that the gear display matches the lever in every position.
- Check the selector cable and linkage, and the sensor’s plug and wiring.
- Have the sensor adjusted as the service information for your gearbox describes, or replaced if it’s faulty.
Questions
Can I drive with P0705?
Gently, and have it checked soon. The gearbox may go into limp mode, and the engine may not start, or not restart once switched off. The gear display and reversing lights may be wrong: start the engine only with your foot on the brake, and always put the lever in P and apply the parking brake before getting out.
Why won’t my car start with P0705?
For safety, the engine only starts in P or N. If the range sensor can’t report either, the car doesn’t let the starter run.