Drivable if it starts and shifts; fix soon. P0705 means the engine or transmission computer has seen an invalid reading from the transmission range sensor, the switch that tells it which gear the driver has selected on the PRNDL shifter. It sets when the sensor reports an impossible position, such as two ranges at once or none at all, pointing at the range sensor, its wiring, or a misadjusted shift linkage.
What P0705 means
The transmission range sensor, also called the park/neutral position switch, is the computer's only way of knowing which gear the shift lever is in. It has a separate contact for each range, so as the lever moves through Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, and the lower gears, exactly one contact should be closed and the rest open. The controller reads those individual Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive lines and expects to see one valid position at a time. It runs this check continuously and uses a two-trip logic before lighting the lamp. P0705 stores when the pattern is impossible: two or more range signals are on together, or every range signal is off at the same time, so the reported selector position cannot be trusted. On many designs a held invalid combination in the manual or sport gate for around two seconds also qualifies. Because the fault is a logic conflict rather than one dead wire, the trouble area spans the range sensor itself, its connector and harness, the shift-linkage adjustment, and the controller. The computer then drops the transmission into a fail-safe strategy until a valid range is seen.
Symptoms
- Check-engine light on, usually after the fault repeats on a second drive cycle under the two-trip logic
- Engine will not crank, or cranks in gears other than Park and Neutral, because the start circuit relies on this sensor
- Gear-position (PRNDL) indicator on the dash reads the wrong gear, flashes, or goes blank
- Harsh, delayed, or wrong-gear shifts, or the transmission holding one gear in a limp/fail-safe mode
- No obvious driving change in mild cases, with the stored code being the only sign of an intermittent fault
Common causes
- A worn or internally shorted transmission range sensor sending two range signals at once or none at all
- A misadjusted shift linkage or cable, so the sensor is out of step with the actual lever position
- Corroded, spread, or loose terminals at the range-sensor connector adding resistance or intermittent contact
- Damaged, chafed, or shorted wiring between the sensor and the controller feeding an implausible pattern
- A blown fuse, poor supply, or ground fault on the sensor circuit, and less often a failed controller input
Severity & driving advice
Severity: Moderate — Not a breakdown, but it can cause no-start, a wrong-gear dash reading, or limp-mode shifting, and it disables the safe start-in-Park logic.
Can I drive? Drivable if it starts and shifts; fix soon.
Diagnostic approach
- Confirm the code and read live range data — Scan for all stored codes and note the freeze-frame captured when P0705 set. With a scan tool, watch the individual range signals or the reported gear item while an assistant moves the lever slowly through every position. Each position should show its own single state cleanly; a display that disagrees with the actual lever position, sticks, or shows two ranges at once confirms the sensor path is at fault.
- Check the sensor supply and grounds — Back-probe the range-sensor connector with the ignition on and confirm the feed terminal reads roughly 11 to 14 volts against a good body ground, and that the ground side is solid. Inspect the connector for corrosion, spread pins, or moisture. Missing or low supply voltage sends you upstream to the fuse and harness before condemning the sensor.
- Bench-test the range-sensor resistance — With the connector unplugged, measure resistance across each range contact as the lever is moved through its positions. The contact for the selected range should read near zero, on the order of below 1 ohm, while every other range contact reads open, typically 10 kilohms or higher. A contact that stays closed in the wrong position, or that never closes, condemns the sensor.
- Verify shift-linkage adjustment — If the sensor tests good, confirm the shift cable or linkage is correctly adjusted so the lever mechanically lines up with the sensor detents. A cable that is out of adjustment can put the sensor between positions and produce an all-off or overlapping pattern. Adjust to specification and recheck the range display before going further.
- Test the harness, then clear and re-verify — Check each range wire from the sensor connector to the controller for continuity end to end and for shorts to ground or to the neighboring range wires, since a wire-to-wire short is what makes two ranges read on at once. Repair any fault, then clear the code and drive through two cycles to confirm it does not return before condemning the controller.
Make & model notes
Toyota: Toyota calls this the park/neutral position (PNP) switch assembly and sets P0705 on two-trip logic when it sees two or more range signals on together, all off together, or an invalid manual-gate combination held about two seconds. Confirm each range contact reads below 1 ohm in position and 10 kohms or higher out of position, and check the 11 to 14 volt supply before replacing the switch.
Chrysler: On Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram automatics the transmission range sensor rides on the valve body or shifter and outputs a coded pattern the TCM decodes. P0705 flags an invalid or overlapping code, so inspect the internal harness and connector, verify shift-cable adjustment, and check for fluid contamination at the sensor before condemning it.
FAQ
What does code P0705 mean?
P0705 means the transmission range sensor, the switch that tells the computer which gear the PRNDL shifter is in, is reporting an invalid position. Instead of one clear range, the computer sees an impossible combination such as two ranges at once or no range at all, so it cannot trust the selector reading and stores the code.
Can P0705 cause a no-start?
Yes. The start circuit uses this sensor to allow cranking only in Park or Neutral. If the sensor reports an invalid range, the computer may not see a valid Park or Neutral signal, so the engine will not crank. In some cases it can also allow cranking in the wrong gear, which is why the fault should be fixed promptly.
Is it always the range sensor itself?
No. P0705 is a logic-conflict code, so the cause can be the sensor, its connector, damaged or shorted wiring, or a shift cable that is out of adjustment and puts the sensor between positions. Confirm the resistance at each range, the supply voltage, and the linkage adjustment before replacing the sensor.
Why did the light take two drives to appear?
On many vehicles P0705 uses two-trip detection. The computer must see the invalid range pattern on two separate drive cycles before it turns on the check-engine light. That is also why you should complete a full confirmation drive of two cycles after a repair before assuming the code is gone.