P0711–P2741 Transmission Fluid Temperature Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance
The sensor still works, but its reading has drifted outside the window the ECU expects. That usually means a tired sensor or a problem with what it is measuring, not a broken wire.
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 |
|---|---|---|
P0711 | Transmission Fluid Temperature Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance | Investigate soon |
P2741 | Transmission Fluid Temperature Sensor B Circuit Range/Performance | Investigate soon |
The definition
P0711: Transmission Fluid Temperature Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance.
P0711 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
The gearbox oil temperature sensor is producing a reading, but the control unit does not believe it. Typically that means the temperature does not rise the way it should after a long run, or it disagrees with the coolant and air temperatures at a cold start when everything ought to read roughly the same. Unlike an outright circuit fault, this one points at a signal that is present but wrong - a sensor that has drifted or stuck at some plausible-looking figure, a connection adding resistance, or occasionally a gearbox that really is running at an unexpected temperature. The car may shift more firmly or refuse to lock the torque converter as it protects itself.
Most likely causes, in order
- High resistance in the connector or loom. Corrosion, oil in the plug, or a partly broken wire adds resistance, which on this kind of sensor shifts the reading rather than killing it - giving exactly this implausible result rather than a dead circuit. Unplug the gearbox connector, look for green deposits and oil film, and check the loom where it passes near the exhaust. This is the repairable outcome and it costs nothing to look, so rule it out first.
- A genuine cooling problem being reported honestly. Sometimes the sensor is right and the gearbox really is running hotter or colder than expected, for example with a blocked or bypassed oil cooler, a collapsed cooler line, or after heavy towing. Check the cooler and its lines for damage or blockage and think about how the car has been used. Worth a look before deciding the sensor lied, because replacing the sensor would not fix it.
- Drifted or stuck sensor inside the gearbox. The sensor can settle on a fixed or lazy value that looks reasonable but never moves properly. Confirm it before anyone opens anything: leave the car overnight and compare the gearbox oil, coolant and intake air temperatures on a scan tool first thing, then watch the gearbox reading climb during a drive. On most of these boxes the sensor is part of the internal harness or the mechatronic unit, so this is the expensive answer and it needs proving, not assuming.
Worth knowing: The cold-soak comparison is the test that settles this without spending anything. If gearbox oil, coolant and air temperatures all agree on a car that has stood overnight, and the gearbox figure then rises normally on a drive, the sensor is telling the truth and attention should turn to the cooling circuit or the wiring instead. Because the sensor is buried inside on most of these gearboxes, nobody should be quoting to replace it until that check has been done and you have seen the result.
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 P0711 mean?
P0711 means Transmission Fluid Temperature Sensor A Circuit Range/Performance. The sensor still works, but its reading has drifted outside the window the ECU expects. That usually means a tired sensor or a problem with what it is measuring, not a broken wire.
Can I drive with P0711?
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.