P0700: Transmission control system (MIL request)
An OBD-II trouble code meaning the transmission’s control system has found a fault and asked for the check engine light to come on.
How to read it
P0700 is one of the standard OBD-II trouble codes stored when the check engine light comes on. An American Honda service bulletin names it “Transmission Control System MIL Request”; an Audi service bulletin calls it “Transmission control system malfunction”.
Also searched as: code P0700, P0700 code.
Code names follow SAE J2012. Manufacturers add codes of their own, and the same code can have several causes: the vehicle’s service information or a qualified mechanic can say what it means for a particular car.
What the monitor checks
The federal rule’s catch-all covers any other electronic powertrain component that sends input to or takes commands from the on-board computer and has a measurable effect on emissions.
What the manual says to do
Ford’s F-150 manual says that if the indicator stays on, the vehicle should be serviced at the first available opportunity, and that continued driving with it on can mean higher emissions, lower fuel economy, rougher running and more costly repairs.
How the light goes out
Under the federal rule, the check engine light may go out once the fault has not come back during three trips in a row in which its monitor runs without finding it. The system may erase the stored code if the same code has not been registered again in at least 40 engine warm-up cycles.
More OBD-II trouble codes
- P0420: Catalyst system efficiency below threshold (bank 1)
- P0430: Catalyst system efficiency below threshold (bank 2)
- P0300: Random/multiple cylinder misfire detected
- P0301: Cylinder 1 misfire detected
- P0302: Cylinder 2 misfire detected
- P0303: Cylinder 3 misfire detected
- P0304: Cylinder 4 misfire detected
- P0305: Cylinder 5 misfire detected
Sources
- American Honda Tech Line summary ATS231201 (December 2023), ATS231201, American Honda Motor Co.; published by NHTSA
- Audi technical service bulletin 2032211/5 (October 2016), TSB 2032211/5, Audi of America; published by NHTSA, Condition
- 40 CFR 86.1806-05, On-board diagnostics (2012 edition), 40 CFR 86.1806-05, US Government Publishing Office (Code of Federal Regulations), § 86.1806-05(b) and (c)
- 2020 F-150 Owner's Manual, Ford Motor Company, Instrument Cluster; On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II)
Last reviewed September 28, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research