P0705 means the PCM is seeing an invalid or impossible gear-position signal from the transmission range sensor. The computer no longer knows which gear you've selected, so it defaults to safe shift maps and often disables the starter in some positions.
P0705 means the PCM is seeing an invalid or impossible gear-position signal from the transmission range sensor. The computer no longer knows which gear you've selected, so it defaults to safe shift maps and often disables the starter in some positions.
P0705 is a transmission-related diagnostic trouble code classified as high severity. When your vehicle's ECU detects this condition, it stores P0705 and illuminates the check engine light.
If your vehicle has triggered P0705, you may notice one or more of these symptoms:
Here are the most common causes of P0705, ranked by how likely they are to be the culprit:
No - address this immediately. You can usually limp home, but the transmission often drops into fail-safe (stuck in 3rd or 4th), reverse lights may not work, and the starter interlock can misbehave. Don't take it on the motorway before it's fixed.
Follow these steps to pinpoint the root cause of P0705:
Repair costs for P0705 vary depending on the root cause and your vehicle. Here are typical estimates:
Prices estimated as of March 2026. Costs vary by region, vehicle, and shop.
P0705 behaves differently depending on your vehicle. Select your car below for model-specific causes, known issues, and adjusted cost estimates:
Ford F-150
See Ford-specific causes & costToyota Camry
See Toyota-specific causes & costVW Golf
See Volkswagen-specific causes & costBMW 3-Series
See BMW-specific causes & costHonda Civic
See Honda-specific causes & costThese codes are often seen alongside P0705 or indicate related issues:
Short local drives are usually fine if the trans still engages, but it's often stuck in fail-safe (one gear, no downshifts) and reverse lights may be dead. For anything over a few kilometres or highway speeds, get it fixed or towed.
The range sensor doubles as the neutral safety switch. If it's misaligned or worn, the PCM sees Park as invalid but still reads Neutral correctly, so cranking only works in N. It's the classic symptom of a bad or misadjusted TR sensor.
Often yes. Loosen the sensor bolts with the shifter in Neutral, align the mark on the sensor with the shaft flat, and retighten. On Fords and Toyotas this fixes maybe half the P0705s I've seen, no parts needed.
Related but not identical. P0705 is a digital/PRNDL circuit fault (implausible combination), P0706 is a range/performance issue on the same sensor. Diagnosis overlaps but P0706 usually means the signal is in-range but wrong for the selected gear.
Yes. Low cranking voltage or a corroded PCM ground can set transmission codes including P0705. Check battery voltage and clean the engine-to-body ground straps before condemning the sensor.
A flashing check engine light is not the same as a steady one. It almost always means an active misfire that can wreck your catalytic converter in minutes.
An unfamiliar light just appeared on your dashboard and you have no idea what it means. Here is how to read every symbol by colour and which ones mean stop now.
Your car logged P0705. Skanyx reads it on any standard Bluetooth OBD2 adapter, tells you whether it is safe to keep driving, and shows the €40-€1500 repair range so you know the number before a shop quotes you.
Download Skanyx