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.
Read next
- Next in OBD-II trouble codesP0741: Torque converter clutch circuit performance or stuck offAn OBD-II trouble code meaning the torque converter clutch, which locks the automatic transmission’s torque converter at cruising speeds, isn’t engaging as the transmission computer expects.
- The same shape in Accessibility symbolsClosed captioning symbol (CC)CC means closed captioning: the dialogue and other sounds of a programme shown as text on screen, which viewers can turn on or off. It is mainly for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
More OBD-II trouble codes
The same shape elsewhere
Browse symbols drawn with letters and numbers or squares and rectangles.
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)
Researched, edited and approved by Rory Hansen before publishing. Last reviewed September 28, 2026. How we research
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