P0705–P2800 Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit (PRNDL Input)
The ECU has logged a fault on P0705. The definition below is the exact wording the standard uses for this code.
Can you drive it? The engine light will stay on and the car may run in a reduced-power mode. Read the freeze-frame data to see the conditions the fault was logged under.
Which code is which
Same fault, different cylinder or bank — diagnosed the same way. Several set together usually means one shared cause.
| Code | Definition | Severity |
|---|---|---|
P0705 | Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit (PRNDL Input) | Investigate soon |
P2800 | Transmission Range Sensor B Circuit (PRNDL Input) | Investigate soon |
The definition
P0705: Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit (PRNDL Input).
P0705 is a powertrain code (the engine or gearbox), defined by the SAE standard - it means the same thing on any make of car, and any generic OBD-II reader will decode it.
What to check first
Cheapest and fastest checks first:
- Read the freeze-frame data stored with the fault - engine speed, load and temperature at the moment it logged tell you whether this happens cold, hot or under load.
- Check the connector at the part for corrosion, and that it is fully seated.
- Clear the code and see whether it returns, and under what conditions.
What actually causes this on a VAG
Your automatic gearbox needs to know which position you have put the selector in. On many VAG automatics that is read by a multifunction switch bolted to the outside of the gearbox and driven by the selector shaft; on later boxes and DSG units the position comes from sensors inside the mechatronic unit, or from the selector lever module in the centre console on shift-by-wire cars. P0705 is the umbrella code for that input: the control unit cannot make sense of the selector position at all. The same signal normally also allows the starter to work only in P or N and switches on the reverse lights, so the symptoms are often more obvious than the code - and they are the quickest way to work out where the fault sits.
Most likely causes, in order
- Selector cable adjustment out. On cars that still have a mechanical selector cable, that cable can stretch or be left badly set after gearbox, engine mount or subframe work, so the lever rests between two positions and the switch reads neither cleanly. This needs no parts and should always be checked before anything is bought. A car that has recently been apart underneath is a strong hint. Shift-by-wire cars have no such cable, so this one does not apply to them.
- Damaged connector or loom at the gearbox. The plug on the gearbox lives in heat, spray and salt. Corroded pins, a plug not fully latched after a service, or gearbox oil that has crept along the inside of the wires and pushed into the connector will all break the signal. Unplug it, look for green or black deposits and for oil in the pin cavities, and check the loom where it passes near the exhaust. Another free check.
- Worn or contaminated multifunction switch. On gearboxes that use an external switch, this is the most common part to actually fail. The contacts inside wear and the seal ages, so damp and dirt get in. The classic pattern is a car that will only start in one position, reverse lights that do not work, or a gear display showing the wrong letter or dashes. If those symptoms move around as you rock the lever through the gate, the switch is the prime suspect - but confirm it on live data before ordering one.
- Selector lever module or gearbox control unit. On shift-by-wire cars the fault can lie in the lever module itself, and on any car the control unit can fail. Both are much rarer than the items above and much more expensive. These are the last things to consider, not the first.
Worth knowing: Two practical points. First, on older VAG control units read over the K-line the same fault shows as the five-digit code 17089 - that is simply 16384 plus 705 - so a tool showing 17089 and a tool showing P0705 are describing one problem, not two. Newer modules report the P-code directly. Second, do not let a range code lead straight to a mechatronic unit or a gearbox rebuild: this code is about a position signal and its wiring, and a car whose reverse lights and start inhibit misbehave in step with the code is pointing at the switch circuit, not the gears. Do not simply live with it either. Reverse lights that do not work are a roadworthiness failure, and if you find the engine will crank with the lever anywhere other than P or N, stop using the car until it is repaired.
Reading the code is the easy part
A code names the circuit that complained. What tells you why is watching the sensor behind it while the engine runs — and that is where a code reader stops and a diagnostic tool starts.
VAGPULSE reads every module in a VW, Audi, Skoda or SEAT — not just the engine — shows the live measuring blocks behind this fault, gives you the freeze-frame conditions it was logged under, and clears it once you have fixed it. It also does what a generic OBD reader cannot on a VAG: service resets, coding, adaptations, and Stage 1–3 flashing with your original file saved first.
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Common questions
What does P0705 mean?
P0705 means Transmission Range Sensor A Circuit (PRNDL Input). It is logged when the ECU sees this circuit outside its expected operating window.
Can I drive with P0705?
The engine light will stay on and the car may run in a reduced-power mode. Read the freeze-frame data to see the conditions the fault was logged under.