P0700 Code in 2026: The Messenger Code, GM's Valve-Wear Programs, and What They Pay For

P0700 is a code that tells you where to look, not what is wrong.

Most automatic transmissions have their own computer, the transmission control module. When it stores a fault that affects emissions, it asks the engine computer to switch on the check engine light, and P0700 is the record of that request — stored in the engine computer on some cars, and in the transmission computer next to its specific code on others. P0700 — "Transmission Control System Malfunction," which GM writes as "Transmission Control Module (TCM) Requested MIL Illumination" and Land Rover and Jaguar as "Transmission Control System (MIL Request)" — means the transmission computer has a code of its own. That code, not P0700, names the fault. GM's bulletins for the Chevrolet Volt show the split in one line: technicians "may find DTCs P0700 stored in the ECM and a P0797 stored in the TCM."

That is why a P0700 on a basic reader is the start of a diagnosis, not the end of one. We found 94 manufacturer documents and recall letters that deal with P0700 or the transmission faults that come with it — service bulletins, recalls, special coverages, warranty extensions, preliminary information and engineering notes from GM, Ford, Honda, Subaru, Chrysler, Audi, Land Rover and Jaguar — and went through all 94 in full; two are byte-identical copies. 20 name P0700 in their own text; the 48 we found through the companion codes P0747 and P0796 do not. The causes they document fall into five groups: a different code underneath, wiring and power, software, the valve body and its solenoids, and internal failure.

The federal complaint file is dominated by one family of trucks. Of 780,071 complaints received by NHTSA from 2015 to September 2026, 211 name P0700. PulsCar went through all 211 and sorted every one twice, independently, by the same written rules; the two sortings matched on 194 of 211 (92%). In 151, the owner describes a stall, limp mode, a transmission stuck in one gear or a marked loss of power. In 79, a valve body or solenoid was diagnosed or named by its code. And 52 of the 57 complaints about 2019-and-newer GM full-size trucks and SUVs arrived in 2025 or 2026.

By the end you will know which of five routes your P0700 is on, what each costs in 2026, which recall, special coverage or bulletin applies to your VIN, and the cheap step that gets skipped when a transmission is quoted first.

Claims marked 🟢 rest on a document listed in the Sources section, read in full unless marked otherwise. Claims marked ⚪ are shop-price estimates carried from our repair guides. Owner-reported figures are what people told NHTSA, published with ODI numbers, and every complaint count here comes from all 211 complaints, sorted and published.

I built PulsCar after a $380 "full diagnostic" in Phuket in 2025 led to roughly $6,000 over six months across several shops (the story is on the About page). P0700 is the code where that pattern costs the most: a flag with no repair of its own, quoted as a transmission. Every claim below that rests on a document names it.

What P0700 says: a message from the transmission computer

Two computers, one light. The engine computer owns the check engine light. The transmission computer watches its own sensors and solenoids and keeps its own list of codes. When it finds an emissions-relevant fault, it sends a request. Where P0700 is recorded depends on the maker: 🟢 on the Volt, GM finds "P0700 stored in the ECM and a P0797 stored in the TCM," while 🟢 GM's 23-NA-210 for 2023-2025 trucks and Cadillacs finds "P18AE and/or P0700 set in the Transmission Control Module (TCM)" and 🟢 Land Rover's SSM73847 finds P0700-02 stored in the transmission computer with P0715-64.

Why P0700 alone is not enough. A reader that shows only P0700 has shown the flag, not the fault. In our reading of the complaints, 34 of the 211 name no code other than P0700; the complaint does not say whether other codes were stored, but the owner did not report one. A dealer tool, or a reader that can talk to the transmission computer, shows the code underneath.

What the code underneath usually is. A solenoid or pressure-control code (the valve body's electrical and hydraulic side), a speed or temperature sensor code, a communication code that says the computers have stopped talking, or a gear-ratio code that means something is slipping inside. Each points to a different route and a different bill.

When P0700 is not about the transmission at all. Several documents in this guide trace P0700 to causes outside the gearbox: 🟢 Honda to an engine misfire on a cold start, 🟢 Subaru to a frozen starter relay, 🟢 GM to a loose ground and a chafed engine harness. The route section covers each.

First: which code is under your P0700?

Solenoid and pressure codes point at the valve body. P0747, P0776, P2714, P0796, P2732 and P2764 are about the hydraulic controls — the solenoids and valves that apply the clutches. On GM's 2020-2022 full-size trucks and SUVs, P0747 is the code GM's valve-wear coverages look for (Route 4).

Sensor codes point at a sensor or its wiring. P0711, P0717 and P0722 are about what the transmission computer measures. 🟢 GM's special coverage N192291660 replaced the harness inside the pan of 2016 6.2-liter trucks and SUVs for P0711, P0712 and P0713 (Route 2).

U-codes point at communication and power. U0100 and U0073 mean the computers lost contact. Several documents trace that to a connector pin, a ground or a harness, not to either computer.

Ratio and slip codes point inside. P0730 and the gear-specific ratio codes mean the transmission is not turning the speeds the computer expects. That is where the internal failures of Route 5 begin.

The maker atlas: who wrote about P0700, and what they blamed

The routes below quote each document; this is the map.

GM: connectors, grounds, software, the valve body — and the valve-wear programs. 🟢 PIC4740C, D and E for Cadillac 6-speed automatics trace P0700 and a string of communication codes to unseated pins in the transmission connector. 🟢 24-NA-172 traces P0700 on 2024 Colorado and Canyon to a loose ground; 🟢 24-NA-124 traces it on 2020-2025 heavy-duty trucks to a chafed engine harness. 🟢 PIP5000A and B show P0700 in the engine computer with the real code in the transmission computer on the Volt. 🟢 23-NA-210 is a clear-and-recheck procedure for nearly new trucks. 🟢 22-NA-258 and 24-NA-009 cover valve bodies on 2021-2023 full-size trucks and SUVs and on the VT40 CVT. 🟢 Recalls 24V-797, 26V-083, 26V-085, 25V-148 and 24V-839, with the special coverages that follow them, cover valve wear and software on full-size diesel trucks and SUVs, some 2022 gas SUVs, 10-speed Cadillacs and Camaros, and 8-speed vans. 🟢 Special coverages 14404 (6-speed wave plate) and N192291660 (6.2-liter harness) are older programs.

Honda: an engine code in transmission clothing. 🟢 Tech Line ATS231201 and bulletin 25-017 trace P0700 on 2023-2024 Accord Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid models to a cold-start misfire, fixed by engine software. 🟢 25-044 lists P0700 among the codes a leaking injector can set on 2023-2025 Accord and CR-V Hybrids.

Subaru: a frozen relay, and ten-year CVT coverage. 🟢 06-93-25 traces P0700 with P0890 on 2024 Impreza and Crosstrek models to a starter relay that freezes. 🟢 Five warranty extensions cover CVTs on listed 2010-2020 models, one of them only for chain slip; none names P0700.

Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Chrysler and Ford. 🟢 Land Rover's SSM73847 and bulletins LTB01205NAS1 and JTB00644NAS1 deal with P0700-02 with P0715-64 on 2017-2018 models — an adaption drive, then a software update for listed 2018 vehicles. 🟢 Audi's 2032211/3 replaces a sensor module inside the S tronic when P0700 comes with the right partner codes. 🟢 Stellantis STAR case S2321000006 says P0700-E4 is a mis-reported park-engagement code. 🟢 Ford recall 25V-164 replaces the main control valve body on certain 2024-2025 models; it names no code.

The 10-minute P0700 check

1. Read both computers (3 minutes). A parts-store reader may show only P0700. Ask for a scan that reads the transmission computer; in one complaint an OnStar report listed codes from both. Write every code down with its letter and number.

2. Note what the transmission did (2 minutes). Normal shifts, harsh shifts, limp mode, a stuck gear, no reverse, a moment of rear-wheel lock, or an engine stall. Note the outside temperature and whether the engine was cold.

3. Look for power clues (1 minute). Gauges jumping, door locks cycling, a flickering gear indicator or several unrelated warnings at once point at grounds, fuses and connections (Route 2).

4. Run the VIN (3 minutes). At nhtsa.gov/recalls, and with a dealer for special coverages, which do not show up as safety recalls.

5. Keep the record (1 minute). On GM trucks, the code history can decide whether a repair is covered. Photograph the scan and date your notes.

Six P0700 situations, and which is yours

"P0700 only, car drives normally." The code underneath has not been read yet. → Route 1.

"P0700 with U0100, U0073 or several unrelated codes." Communication and power. → Route 2.

"P0700 with P0747 on a 2020-2024 GM full-size truck or SUV." Valve wear: the special coverages on eligible 2020-2022 VINs, bulletin 24-NA-088 for 2023-2024. → Route 4.

"P0700 with P0711, P0717 or P0722." A sensor or its harness. → Route 2, and Route 4 if the sensor is inside.

"P0700 on a cold morning on a 2023-2024 Honda hybrid or a 2024 Subaru." Engine software or a frozen relay. → Route 1.

"Burnt fluid, clutch material in the pan, gears missing." Internal failure. → Route 5.

The P0700 price ladder, from the bottom up

The first three lines cost little or nothing and decide whether any of the rest is a candidate. The ⚪ figures come from our transmission repair cost guide; the owner figures are listed with ODI numbers in the published file.

What does it cost to fix P0700 in 2026, and when is a transmission the wrong purchase? Our repair guides carry a fluid service at $150 to $400, shift solenoids at $300 to $900, a valve body at $500 to $1,200 and a specialist rebuild at $1,800 to $4,500. In PulsCar's reading of the 211 federal complaints that name the code, owners report $1,500 to $3,800 for a harness or valve body and $2,700 to $11,000 for a replacement transmission. A transmission is the wrong purchase when the code underneath has not been read; when a bulletin names a cheaper cause, such as a loose ground on a 2024 Colorado or a chafed harness on a heavy-duty GM truck; and on eligible 2020-2022 GM full-size trucks and SUVs, where a special coverage repairs the worn valve for 15 years or 150,000 miles if P0747 is set.

The five P0700 routes, cheapest first

Route 1 · A different code underneath — $0 to $265

What it is. P0700 is standing in for another code, and sometimes for a fault that is not in the transmission at all. Reading the transmission computer's own codes — and checking whether any bulletin describes that exact pair — is the whole first step.

What the documents say.

🟢 GM PIP5000A and PIP5000B, 2011-2014 Chevrolet Volt and 2012-2014 Opel Ampera. "Customers may comment the Check Engine Light comes on but the vehicle seems to function normally." The technician finds P0700 in the engine computer and P0797 in the transmission computer, and tries to make the code return by forcing the car through the shift that cycles one clutch and the valve body. "If the DTC does not reset, the vehicle can be released back to the customer."

🟢 GM 23-NA-210, versions 1 and 2, 2023-2025 CT4, CT5, Escalade, Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 with 5,000 miles or less. A check engine light "immediately after starting vehicle" with P18AE and/or P0700. The procedure is to clear the code, power the vehicle down and back up, shift through the gears and check again: "If DTC P18AE has returned, replace the valve body." If it has not, the vehicle goes back to the owner — 0.5 hours.

🟢 Honda Tech Line ATS231201 and Service Bulletin 25-017, 2023-2024 Accord Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid. The transmission code comes from the engine: "In temperatures below freezing, ice formation under the exhaust valve can cause a vibration on start-up, setting DTC P0700." The fix is engine software, 0.2 hours, applied only if the freeze frame shows a start at or below freezing. The 2023 Tech Line note, for 2023 models, checks the coolant temperature; bulletin 25-017's first version checks the intake air temperature; its June 2026 version checks the coolant temperature in its decision steps, while its lead-in still names the intake sensor. 🟢 Honda's 25-044 adds P0700 to the codes a leaking injector can set on the same hybrids, and warns: "Do not replace the A/F sensor before performing the inspection."

🟢 Subaru 06-93-25, 2024 Impreza and Crosstrek. P0700 with P0890 — the transmission computer's power relay — after a short drive at or below freezing: "moisture may develop inside the starter relay and cause the internal contacts to stick or freeze resulting in a no crank / no start condition." The fix is engine computer software that cycles the relay, 0.4 hours.

🟢 Stellantis STAR case S2321000006. P0700-E4 as "the only DTC that is set" in the engine computer, because "the current Transmission Control Module (TCM) software causing the DTC to be reported incorrectly to the scan tool." The real code is P07E4-00, unable to engage park, and its "most common cause" is the manual park release being used around the time the shifter goes into park. The document names no vehicle; NHTSA's index lists 2018 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Challenger and Charger models.

What the owners report. In 34 of the 211 complaints, the owner names no code but P0700. A 2013 Spark owner: "VEHICLE GETS CODE P0700 TRANNY GOES TO LIMP MODE WONT MOVE OR SHIFT UNTIL CAR IS RESTARTED." A 2012 Cruze owner read P0700 at a parts store while the car would not reverse, and was told by the manufacturer to have a GM shop assess it at their own cost. Fifteen complaints fall in the group of P0700 riding along with an engine event — eight of them 2005-2006 Chrysler and Dodge models, most of them 300 and Charger sedans that stall, and a 2017 Sierra whose owner saw P0700 and P0711 before a camshaft failure bent a rod.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The second code. A reader that talks to the transmission computer, or a dealer's scan, turns "transmission" into a specific circuit, solenoid or sensor — or into an engine fault that set P0700 by proxy.

Fix it yourself — what to write down. Every code from both computers, with the freeze frame; the outside temperature when the light came on; whether the car drives normally, limps, or will not move; and whether the light comes back after a restart. On the Honda hybrids and the 2024 Subarus above, the temperature is the diagnosis.

At the shop — say this: "P0700 is a pointer code. What codes are stored in the transmission computer itself, and is there a bulletin for that exact combination on my VIN? Please list them on the estimate before we discuss internal work."

Route 2 · Wiring, grounds and power — $0 to $1,500 and up

What it is. The transmission computer is fine, but it cannot hear its sensors, cannot reach the engine computer, or is losing power. The codes that come with P0700 are communication codes, several unrelated codes at once, or a sensor code whose wire has failed.

What the documents say.

🟢 GM PIC4740C, D and E, 2006-2014 Cadillac STS, SRX, CTS and ATS with the 6-speed automatic. P0700 among sixteen to eighteen codes — communication, brake, starting — with reduced power, no crank or no start, hard shifts and door locks that cycle while driving: "The cause may be an unseated pin(s) in the transmission connector." The check is mechanical: "Disconnect the connector and carefully tug on each wire to ensure the pins are fully seated," because "A side load on the wires may cause a false positive lock."

🟢 GM 24-NA-172, 2024 Colorado and Canyon. Intermittent loss of power or hesitation, with the "D" and "L" flickering on the gear indicator and the door locks cycling. P0700 with P0EFF, U1611 and U0401, and "The cause of the condition may be due to an unsecured ground G201A." Clean and tighten it — 0.5 hours, and "No parts are required for this repair."

🟢 GM 24-NA-124, 2020-2025 Silverado and Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD. A check engine light, a stall or no start with P0700 among seven codes, because "the Engine Control Module (ECM) harness may be chaffed at the driver's side upper control arm bracket." A wire repair and a zip tie.

🟢 GM special coverage N192291660, 2016 Escalade, Silverado, Sierra and Yukon with the 6.2-liter gas V8. Rough shifts or hesitation with a check engine light and P0711, P0712 or P0713, from "a failed transmission control wiring harness contained inside the transmission oil pan" or the temperature sensor built into it. The harness is replaced — 1.7 hours — under a coverage of 10 years or 120,000 miles from the in-service date. By September 2026 that has run out for every truck that entered service before late September 2016, and it never covered the 5.3-liter.

What the owners report. Twenty-one complaints fall under a sensor, switch or wiring fault, and twenty-two under network or power. Seven owners of 2015-2017 Silverado, Sierra and Yukon XL trucks with P0711 point at the harness coverage, or what they call a recall, that their vehicle does not get: "Reference N192291660 special coverage transmission wiring harness, which only applies to vehicles equipped with 8 cylinder, 6.2L gas engine," writes a 2016 5.3-liter owner. A 2015 Canyon's mechanic found a burnt-out fuse box and, a month later, a burnt TCM fuse. And 2006 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger owners describe stalls with U0100 — lost communication — that dealers could not reproduce: "The dealer flashed the computer; however, the failure persisted," in the words of one NHTSA summary.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The fuse, the ground and the connector. Several communication codes at once, gauges that jump, door locks that cycle — those point at power and connections before either computer.

At the shop — say this: "There are communication codes with the P0700. Before replacing a module, can you check the transmission connector pins, the grounds and the fuses, and is there a bulletin for a chafed harness or a loose ground on my VIN?"

Route 3 · Software — $0 in a recall or warranty; ⚪ $200 to $500 when programming is billed with other work

What it is. The transmission computer's logic sets the code, misreads a fault, or needs new monitoring. The fix is a reprogram, sometimes as a recall.

What the documents say.

🟢 Land Rover SSM73847 and bulletins LTB01205NAS1 and JTB00644NAS1, 2017-2018 Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Velar, and 2018 F-PACE, XE and XF. A flashing "D" after an auto stop/start, with "ONLY DTCs P0715-64 and P0700-02" stored, typically below 2,500 miles. The April 2018 note blames "Error in the TCM software (adaption learn will permanently resolve the concern if the issue is a TCM software error), or a fault in the mechatronic valve block assembly" and prescribes an adaption drive, 0.8 hours; the June 2018 bulletins, for listed 2018 vehicles, say "This may be caused by a TCM software error" and update the transmission computer — 0.3 hours, "No Parts Required" — after any other transmission codes are diagnosed first.

🟢 GM recall 24V-839, 2022-2023 Express and Savana with the 4.3-liter V6 or the four-cylinder and the 8-speed automatic. "The transmission control module software in these vehicles is incorrectly calibrated to respond to certain electrical failures within the transmission," which can mean harsh shifting, reduced power, rear wheel lockup, and "In rare circumstances at low speeds, the vehicle may move in an unintended direction." The remedy is a reprogram, free "regardless of mileage, age of vehicle, or ownership, from this time forward."

🟢 Audi 2032211/3, 2010-2014 S4 and S5 Cabriolet and 2013-2014 S5, RS5, S6 and S7 with the 0B5 S tronic. P0700 appears in one of two scenarios, and only with the right companions: "In this scenario, if DTC P179E is not logged first, this TSB does not apply." The fix is not software but an internal sensor module and its harness, 570 time units with the transmission case opened — a reminder that the code pairs, not P0700, decide the repair.

What the owners report. A 2024 Silverado 1500 owner's truck got transmission computer software and an engine harness chafing repair at the dealer, and the limp mode returned. A 2023 Yukon owner was told twice that modules needed recalibration before the truck went into limp mode again at highway speed. Software is in many of these stories, but rarely the whole of one.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The calibration check. A dealer can compare the transmission computer's software with the latest in minutes; on the listed 2018 Land Rovers and Jaguars and the Express and Savana vans, that is the repair — though Land Rover's own note allows that the mechatronic valve block may be at fault instead.

At the shop — say this: "Is my transmission computer on the latest software, and is there a recall or bulletin that reprograms it for these codes? Can you do that before anything is opened?"

Route 4 · The valve body and its solenoids — $300 to $3,800

What it is. The valve body is the transmission's hydraulic brain: valves and solenoids that send fluid to the clutches. When a valve wears, sticks or leaks, pressure drops, shifts turn harsh, a clutch slips, and the transmission computer sets a solenoid or pressure code — and P0700. This is the largest group in the complaints; on GM's 2020-2022 full-size trucks and SUVs it is the subject of two special coverages, and a third covers 10-speed Cadillac sedans and the Camaro.

What the documents say — GM's full-size trucks and SUVs.

🟢 Special coverage N242454441, six records, revisions 00 to 03, from November 2024 to October 2025: 2020-2022 Silverado and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, and 2021-2022 Escalade, Escalade ESV, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon and Yukon XL. The document never names an engine or fuel type in words, but its early versions list only diesel transmission fluid, its number is one digit from diesel recall N242454440 (24V-797) below, and its vehicle list and 15-year terms match; eligibility is by VIN. "Certain vehicles listed above, may have a condition where the transmission control valve has worn, resulting in a gradual loss of pressure within the valve. The effects can cause harsh shifting, setting a service engine soon message, reduced engine performance or P0747 diagnostic trouble code." The coverage runs "for a period of 15 years or 150,000 miles" from the in-service date, regardless of ownership. The first step of the procedure decides everything: "If DTC P0747 is NOT SET, no further action required." The early versions replace the valve body; the October 2025 version keeps that for 2020 models and, for 2021-2022, replaces a spacer plate, a valve and a spring instead, listed by engine and transmission codes it does not decode — "It is critical that the Valve, Spring, and a Plate are replaced during this repair." The reimbursement deadline for owners who paid earlier was 31 December 2025.

🟢 Recall 24V-797 and its owner letters, 2020-2022 Silverado and Sierra 1500 to 3500 and 2021-2022 full-size SUVs with diesel engines. The letters name the vehicles "equipped with diesel engines." New transmission software watches the valve and, when wear is detected, "the transmission will be limited to fifth gear, preventing the possibility of a wheel lock up condition, which occurs in a downshift from eighth gear." After the update, the valve-wear condition is repaired free "within 15 years from the date your vehicle was originally placed in service or 150,000 miles." 🟢 Recall 26V-083 re-checks 1,055 of those diesel trucks that may not have received the correct software in December 2024, and its report adds: "Vehicles equipped with gas engines use a different transmission and are not affected by this recall."

🟢 Recall 26V-085 and special coverage N252536751, 2022 Escalade, Escalade ESV, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon and Yukon XL built through 19 July 2022 — about 43,700 vehicles with gasoline engines; GM's report starts the window in mid-March for the Escalade and on 10 May for the others, so check the VIN. GM's report limits it to vehicles with the "10 Speed Transmission with ETRS," and says these were "not equipped with the transmission control module (TCM) diagnostic software that monitors valve performance" — and that on these SUVs "excessive wear within the transmission control valve body could cause the rear wheels to remain locked until the vehicle comes to a stop." The same software, then a spacer-plate repair if P0747 is set, under 15 years or 150,000 miles; "Dealers must perform the Safety Recall remedy under N252536750 prior to performing any inspection or repair outlined in this Special Coverage." 🟢 Recall 25V-148 and special coverage N242480631 do the same for 2019-2020 CT6, 2020-2021 CT4 and CT5 and 2020-2022 Camaro with the 10-speed: the coverage is for vehicles "that return after TCM Update Product Safety N242480630" with P0747.

🟢 GM 24-NA-088, 2023-2024 trucks, SUVs and Cadillacs. P0747 with the transmission stuck in fifth: "In most cases of DTC P0747, the control valve may only need replacement." The bulletin separates the cases by the fluid — good or darkened fluid with little clutch material and no burnt smell means a valve body; "extreme distress" with clutch material in the pan means the transmission comes apart too.

🟢 GM 22-NA-258, 2021-2023 Silverado and Sierra 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade (transmission codes MQB, MQC, MI2, MHT and MHS; its labor operation names the 10L80). P0776, P18A1 or P2732 and no reverse after a cold soak at -25°C or colder, because a torn screen in the valve body spacer plate lets a valve stick: "Update the TCM to the latest software available and replace the control valve body." And: "Vehicles not exposed to the cold temperatures will not benefit from the repair."

What the documents say — other GM transmissions. 🟢 24-NA-009 for the VT40 CVT in 2019-2025 Malibu, 2020-2025 Encore GX and 2021-2025 Trailblazer: P2714 and loss of forward gear from a sticking clutch regulator valve — "If the DTC does not reset, replace the valve body (Not the solenoid valve body) and re-evaluate" — and if the pulleys and chain are damaged, "There is no reason to attempt to repair a transmission once the sheaves and chain are damaged." 🟢 PIP6010 for 2025-2026 Equinox and Terrain with P0796 puts the fluid level first: if it was low and the code does not return, the car goes home. 🟢 And two warnings in the other direction: PIP5974, for nine-speed and 8T65 transmissions built from October 2023 to April 2024, traces P0746 or P0747 that returns on a short drive to snap rings inside and says "Do not replace the Control valve body assembly (Valve body) or Control valve solenoid body assembly (Solenoid body) as these are not related to the concern," while PIP5697 traces P0747 on listed 2017-2020 models to the body control module's ignition voltage at shut-down.

Other makers. 🟢 Ford recall 25V-164 replaces the main control valve body free on certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, Ranger, Explorer and Mustang models (NHTSA's record also lists the 2025 Lincoln Aviator) that may have "no reverse motion when the gear selector is placed in reverse," with the "Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) and Wrench light" on. It names no code. Subaru's documents in this set do not tie P0700 to the valve body, but nine of the thirteen Subaru complaints fall under valve body or solenoid — most with P2764, the torque converter clutch solenoid circuit.

What the owners report. 79 complaints fall in this group, 38 of them 2019-and-newer GM full-size trucks and SUVs. The P0747 rule decides claims. A 2020 Silverado 1500 owner whose dealer recommended a valve body: "coverage was denied primarily because P0747 was not present at the time of diagnosis." A 2020 Silverado HD Duramax owner (filed as a 3500): GM "refuses to repair my vehicle under Special Coverage N242454441 (15 years/150,000 miles) because code P0747 did not set." A 2023 Silverado owner towing a boat had the rear wheels lock up several times, on video, before the codes appeared: "it took 1,193 miles to finally throw codes that the dealership would fix." Parts were the other complaint: a 2023 Sierra 3500 owner got the truck back after 33 days, and a 2023 Sierra 2500 owner's dealer quoted no date for the part.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The fluid and the exact code. On a VT40, low fluid is the first check; on a nine-speed built in the PIP5974 window, P0747 can mean snap rings, and on some 2017-2020 GM models, a body control module. On an eligible 2020-2022 full-size truck or SUV, the code decides whether the repair is free.

Fix it yourself — the honest split. Recording the codes from both computers, the fluid level where a dipstick or check plug allows it, and the exact conditions of each lockup or limp event are owner jobs; so is a dated note to the dealer asking for the codes in writing. A valve body is not: it needs the right part, programming of the solenoid characterisation, and on these GM trucks, parts GM specifies by engine and transmission code.

At the shop — say this: "Is my VIN covered by N242454441, N252536751 or N242480631, and has the recall software been installed? Is P0747 set now, or in history? If it is not set today, please record the harsh shifts and lockups on the repair order so the history is there when it does."

Route 5 · Internal failure — $1,800 to $11,000

What it is. Something inside has broken or worn: a clutch plate, a wave plate, a hub, a snap ring, a CVT chain or pulley. The code underneath is often a gear-ratio code, and the fluid often shows clutch material or metal chunks. This is where a rebuild or a replacement is the honest answer — and where coverage, if any, matters most.

What the documents say. 🟢 GM's 14404, 14404A and 14404B covered 2007-2009 crossovers and sedans with the 6T70 and 6T75: "may experience a cracked or fractured wave plate, resulting in a loss of 3rd, 5th and reverse gears," for 10 years or 120,000 miles — expired for these cars. The same bulletin warns against over-repair: "Fine metal particles that you cannot feel (traces of metal flakes/gray color to the fluid) are not reasons to replace the torque converter." 🟢 16-NA-027 for 2015-2016 trucks with the 6L80 traces P0796 and lost fourth, fifth and sixth gears to a broken 4-5-6 clutch hub, and says the solenoid and control module assembly should not be replaced. 🟢 Subaru's CVT extensions 16-107-17R, 16-115-18, 16-117-18 and 16-155-25R lengthen CVT coverage from 5 years or 60,000 miles to 10 years or 100,000 miles from the original warranty start date on listed 2010-2020 models; 16-139-22R covers only chain slip on 2019-2020 Ascents and 2020 turbo Legacy and Outback models after recall WRK-21, "ONE TIME ONLY." None names P0700; they are the coverage that may pay for a CVT repair a transmission code leads to.

What the owners report. 47 complaints fall under internal failure. The wave plate appears in four complaints on 2008-2010 GM crossovers and sedans: a 2010 Equinox owner was quoted $3,400 after "THE WAVE PLATE HAD BROKE WHICH HAD CAUSED MORE DAMAGE," and a 2009 G6 owner paid $2,442.38 for the 3-5-reverse plate after GM said the car's transmission build code was not covered. A 2015 Legacy owner was quoted $11,000 for a remanufactured CVT about 13 months past the ten-year limit of Subaru's extension. A 2020 XT5's dealer found "lots of metal" and replaced the nine-speed; the owner reports the new one shuddering within weeks.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The coverage check before the teardown — and the fluid, which usually tells the shop whether it is looking at a valve body or a transmission, though GM's 16-NA-027 describes a broken internal hub with clean fluid.

At the shop — say this: "What did the fluid and the pan show? Which codes are in the transmission computer? Is there any special coverage or warranty extension for my VIN — and if you open it, will you show me the failed part?"

The coverage file: which programs are still running in September 2026

The status column is our own calculation from the terms printed in each document, as of September 2026 — not a statement by the manufacturer. Check the exact VIN.

Reading the GM programs. Three details decide most claims. First, the code: every GM valve-wear coverage here repairs the valve only "If DTC P0747" is set. Second, the order: on the diesel trucks the 24V-797 letters promise the protection "After your vehicle has been updated with the new transmission control module software," and on the 2022 gas SUVs and the Cadillac and Camaro 10-speeds the recall software must be installed first. N242454441's vehicle table prints no engine or fuel type, so ask the dealer to check the VIN rather than the model. Third, the deadlines for money already spent: 31 December 2025 for N242454441 and 31 March 2026 for N242480631, both past unless state law allows longer; N252536751 prints no date. The 2016 harness coverage has run out for trucks that entered service before late September 2016; Subaru's 2016-2017 extension is still open only for cars whose warranty started after that date.

What 211 complaints naming P0700 show

PulsCar went through every complaint in NHTSA's file whose narrative contains "P0700" — 211 in all — and sorted all 211 twice, independently, by the same written rules (the sorting rules). The two sortings matched on the category for 194 of 211 (92%), and on whether the owner describes a stall or a loss of power for 201 of 211 (95%); the differences were settled by the written rules, and the published file carries both original sortings and the final one for every complaint.

151 of the 211 describe a stall, limp mode, a transmission stuck in one gear or a marked loss of power. That is the pattern that separates P0700 from many other codes in this series: it is rarely a light that sits on the dash while the car drives normally. Owners describe trucks dropping to fifth gear on the interstate, cars that will not go into drive at a light, and rear wheels that lock for a moment on a downshift.

The file is dominated by General Motors, and by one family of trucks. 158 of the 211 are GM vehicles — 97 Chevrolet, 43 GMC, 8 Buick, 4 Cadillac, 4 Saturn and 2 Pontiac. Chrysler adds 15, Subaru 13, Dodge 8 and Jeep 7. The Silverado 1500 is the most frequent model with 29 complaints, then the Sierra 1500 with 16. 57 complaints concern 2019-and-newer Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade models, and 52 of those 57 arrived in 2025 or 2026. In 38 of the 57, the valve body or a pressure-control solenoid was diagnosed or named by its code.

By year received. 8 in 2015, 10 in 2016, 11 each in 2017 and 2018, 18 in 2019, 15 in 2020, 10 in 2021, 13 in 2022, 12 each in 2023 and 2024, then 42 in 2025 and 49 in 2026 by 21 September. Most of the jump is GM: 81 of the 91 complaints in 2025 and 2026 concern GM vehicles, 52 of them 2019-and-newer full-size trucks and SUVs.

The companion code tells the story. 34 of the 211 name no other code at all — the owner or the parts store saw only P0700. Where a second code is named, the most frequent are P0747 (24 complaints), U0100 (15), P0776 (14), P2714 (12), P0796 (11) and P0711 (11). P0747 appears only on GM full-size trucks and SUVs from 2020-2024: all 24 of its complaints.

Counting complaints, not cars. Some owners filed more than once: a 2021 Tahoe appears in three complaints, a 2008 Acadia in two nearly identical ones, and at least two 2022 Silverado complaints about the output shaft speed sensor name the same dealer. Every figure here counts complaints.

What this file cannot tell you. Complaints over-represent frightening failures, and owners report the dealer's diagnosis as they understood it. A file of 211 complaints across sixteen makers cannot rank transmissions by failure rate. It can show which failures owners describe, which codes come with P0700, and when the complaints started to rise.

What do the 211 federal complaints naming P0700 show, and which vehicles lead them? In PulsCar's reading of every complaint that names the code, every complaint was sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules, and the two sortings matched on 194 of 211 (92%). A valve body or solenoid was diagnosed or named by its code in 79; an internal failure, rebuild or replacement in 47; a network or power fault in 22; a sensor, switch or wiring fault in 21; and an engine event with P0700 riding along in 15. 151 owners describe a stall, limp mode, a stuck gear or a marked loss of power. General Motors vehicles account for 158 of the 211, and 52 of the 57 complaints about 2019-and-newer GM full-size trucks and SUVs arrived in 2025 or 2026, 38 of them in the valve body or solenoid group.

What owners say they paid

We collected 36 dollar figures for repairs, quotes and diagnoses from the 211 complaints, leaving out vehicle prices and goodwill offers, and the full list with ODI numbers is published. Grouped by what they paid for:

A diagnosis. $150 at a shop that could not find the cause of a 2006 Charger's stalls; $265 quoted to diagnose a 2018 Terrain.

A harness or a valve body. $1,500 for a 2016 Sierra's transmission harness; $2,200 recommended for a 2014 Forester's CVT valve body; $2,862.40 for a 2022 Yukon XL's valve body; $3,800 for a 2021 Silverado's valve body, which the dealer pushed back on covering at 70,000 miles.

A rebuild or an internal repair. $2,442.38 for a 2009 G6's 3-5-reverse clutch plate; $3,400 quoted for a 2010 Equinox's wave plate; $4,000 paid for a 2014 Malibu's rebuild, and $4,000 out of pocket expected for a 2008 Acadia whose owner believed the wave plate had broken.

A replacement transmission, paid or quoted. From $2,700 for a used unit in a 2002 Civic to $3,800 for a 2008 Enclave, $5,500 for a 2015 Yukon, $7,731 for a 2016 Forester's CVT, $9,177.85 to about $10,000 for a 2021 Tahoe and $11,000 for a remanufactured CVT in a 2015 Legacy.

Not the transmission. $8,933 for three fluid-soaked harnesses on a 2020 Ascent, where a leaking pressure sensor carried transmission fluid through the wiring into the engine bay.

Why P0700 comes back after a repair

Because the repair answered P0700, not the code underneath. Batteries, fluid changes, throttle bodies and even transmission computers appear in these complaints as repairs that did not hold, because nobody had read — or fixed — the transmission computer's own code.

Because the part was right and the cause was elsewhere. 🟢 GM's bulletin for nine-speed and 8T65 transmissions built from October 2023 to April 2024 tells technicians the valve body is "not related to the concern" when snap rings inside set P0747; 🟢 another traces P0747 on listed 2017-2020 models to the body control module. A new valve body leaves both faults in place.

Owners report the pattern. A 2008 Saturn VUE owner replaced the transmission control module and saw the same code three months later. A 2022 Traverse owner had the transmission replaced by GM at 49,000 miles and was back with P2732 and P0746 on a busy highway two years later.

Why does P0700 keep coming back, and what should be checked before a transmission is replaced? In PulsCar's reading of 211 federal complaints and the manufacturer documents behind them, P0700 is a flag the transmission computer raises in the engine computer, and the repair belongs to the code underneath. GM traces P0700 on 2024 Colorado and Canyon trucks to a loose ground and on 2020-2025 heavy-duty trucks to a chafed engine harness; Honda traces it on 2023-2024 hybrids to a cold-start misfire; Subaru to a frozen starter relay. On eligible 2020-2022 GM full-size trucks and SUVs — the recall behind it names diesel engines, and eligibility is by VIN — a special coverage repairs the worn valve for 15 years or 150,000 miles only if P0747 is set. Before a transmission, ask for the transmission computer's codes, the fluid condition, the software level and a VIN check for recalls and special coverages.

Can you drive with P0700?

It depends on what the transmission is doing, not on the code. P0700 with a car that shifts normally is a diagnosis to book this week. P0700 with limp mode, a transmission stuck in one gear, no reverse, flares or bangs between gears is a car to drive gently to a shop or have towed — in our reading, 151 of the 211 owners describe a stall, limp mode, a stuck gear or a marked loss of power.

The warning that matters most on GM trucks. 🟢 GM's 24V-797 recall letters for 2020-2022 diesel trucks and 2021-2022 diesel SUVs describe valve wear that "can cause harsh shifting and may cause the rear wheels to momentary lock up"; for some 2022 gas SUVs, the 26V-085 letter adds that the rear wheels "may remain locked." If a 2020-or-newer Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon or Escalade shifts harshly and sets P0700 with P0747, treat the harsh shift as the warning it is: avoid towing and highway speeds until it has been checked.

What limp mode is for. The transmission computer holds one gear to protect the transmission. It is meant to get you off the road, not to be driven on for weeks.

Should you buy a used car with a P0700 history?

It depends on what fixed it. A receipt for a named repair — a valve body under a special coverage, a harness under N192291660, a reprogram under a recall, a fixed ground — is a closed file. "Cleared codes" with no repair is an open one, and so is a transmission that has been replaced once and set the code again.

Four checks before you buy. Ask for the transmission computer's codes, not only the engine computer's. Run the VIN for recalls and special coverages — on a 2020-2022 GM diesel truck, ask whether the 24V-797 software was installed and whether the 26V-083 re-check applies. Drive it cold and hot, including a reverse and a hard acceleration. And ask whether any coverage still has years and miles left: several of the GM programs run 15 years or 150,000 miles.

Clearing P0700 before an inspection

Clearing the code does not clear the cause. Erasing codes resets the readiness monitors, which need days of mixed driving to complete, and a transmission fault that is still there will set the code again — often in the transmission computer before the light returns. A car presented with incomplete monitors is typically turned away or failed.

What works instead. Find the code underneath, fix that, and drive normally for several days before the test.

What a shop actually does with a P0700, checkpoint by checkpoint

Checkpoint 1: both computers. Codes from the engine computer and the transmission computer, with freeze frame, printed.

Checkpoint 2: fluid. Level and condition at the right temperature. Burnt fluid, clutch material or metal chunks in the pan point to Route 5; GM's 6T70 wave-plate bulletin warns that fine particles alone are not a reason to replace the torque converter, and its 16-NA-027 that a broken internal hub can leave the fluid clean.

Checkpoint 3: bulletins, recalls and software. By VIN, including special coverages that do not show as safety recalls; the software level compared with the latest.

Checkpoint 4: connections and power. Connector pins, grounds, fuses and the harness where it passes brackets and the pan.

Checkpoint 5: the named component. Solenoid, sensor or valve body tests as the code directs.

Checkpoint 6: internal inspection. Only now a teardown or a replacement quote — with the codes and fluid findings written on the estimate.

Three P0700 traps that cost owners the most

Trap 1: a transmission quote on a flag. An estimate that says only "P0700" has not diagnosed anything. Lesson: the code underneath goes on the estimate before any internal work.

Trap 2: clearing the code on an eligible 2020-2022 GM full-size truck. On the GM programs, P0747 is the key to a free repair; a code cleared at a parts store, or a history the dealer did not record, can leave the owner outside them. Lesson: let the dealer read and record it, and keep your own dated notes of every lockup.

Trap 3: a program you do not know about. GM's three valve-wear coverages, the diesel and gas recalls, the Express and Savana recall and Subaru's CVT extensions reach cars whose owners in this file did not name them — or named them and were told their VIN was not included. Lesson: run the VIN and ask by program number.

Three P0700 quotes, decoded

These are composite scenarios, not individual customers: each combines details that come up repeatedly in owner reports and shop quotes; the dollar figures are drawn from the ranges on the price ladder above.

Scenario 1: 2021 Silverado 1500 3.0-liter diesel, 96,000 miles, harsh downshifts and a moment of rear-wheel lock, P0700 and P0747, quote for a rebuilt transmission. The owner asks the dealer to run the VIN for recall 24V-797 and N242454441. The recall software is installed, P0747 sets again and is on record, and the VIN is eligible, so the valve repair is done under the coverage at no charge. Lesson: on these trucks the code on the repair order is worth more than the rebuild quote.

Scenario 2: 2024 Colorado, 18,000 miles, intermittent hesitation, "D" and "L" flickering, P0700 with U-codes, quote for a transmission computer. The owner mentions the flickering and the door locks. The technician finds bulletin 24-NA-172 and tightens ground G201A in half an hour. Lesson: symptoms outside the transmission point outside the transmission.

Scenario 3: 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5, 108,000 miles, P0700 and P2764, quote for a CVT. The car is past 100,000 miles and past ten years, so the extension no longer applies; the shop checks the fluid, finds no clutch material, and replaces the valve body at a price inside the $500-$1,200 range. Lesson: the fluid usually tells you whether you are buying a valve body or a transmission.

The P0700 plan: 10 minutes, today, this week

10 minutes: read the codes from both computers, or have a parts store or dealer do it; write down what the transmission did and the outside temperature.

Today: run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a dealer about special coverages by number — 24V-797 and N242454441 on a 2020-2022 GM full-size diesel truck or 2021-2022 diesel SUV, 26V-085 and N252536751 on a 2022 gas SUV, 25V-148 and then N242480631 on a 2019-2020 CT6, 2020-2021 CT4 or CT5 or 2020-2022 Camaro, 24V-839 on a 2022-2023 Express or Savana, the CVT extensions on a Subaru.

This week: have the fluid checked, the connections and grounds inspected, the software compared with the latest, and the code underneath diagnosed before anything is opened — and get every code written on the repair order.

Sources and documents

Primary documents only. Where a claim in this guide is marked 🟢, it rests on one of the items below, and the reference is given so you can pull the document yourself. Claims marked ⚪ are shop-price estimates carried from PulsCar's repair guides — estimates, not measurements from a dataset we own.

1. GM special coverages N242454441 (versions 00, -01, three -02 records, -03), N242480631 (00 to -04), N252536751 (00, -01), N192291660, 14404, 14404A and 14404B.
2. GM recalls 24V-797 (three owner letters), 26V-083 (Part 573 report and owner letter), 26V-085 (Part 573 report and owner letter), 25V-148 (two owner letters), 24V-839 (two dealer bulletins).
3. GM bulletins and preliminary information PIC4740C, D and E; PIP5000A and B; 23-NA-210 versions 1 and 2; 22-NA-258; 24-NA-009; 24-NA-124; 24-NA-172; 24-NA-088 versions 1 to 3; PIP5974A to E; PIP6010, A and B; PIP5697 to PIP5697E; PIP5771 and PIP5771B; PIP5425 and A; 16-NA-027; PIP4831E; PIE0645; PIE0720 and A; service updates N202321840 to N202321843.
4. Honda Tech Line ATS231201; Service Bulletin 25-017 versions 1 and 2; 25-044.
5. Subaru 06-93-25; CVT extensions 16-107-17R (with the June 2017 announcement and July 2017 memo), 16-115-18, 16-117-18, 16-139-22R, 16-155-25R.
6. Land Rover and Jaguar SSM73847, LTB01205NAS1 (two identical copies), JTB00644NAS1. Audi 2032211/3. Stellantis STAR case S2321000006. Ford recall 25V-164 (two owner letters).
7. PulsCar analysis of NHTSA public data, September 2026: all 211 complaints naming P0700, sorted twice independently; 36 owner-reported amounts; the document list with read status. How we did it.

For the neighboring pages: transmission repair cost, transmission slipping, car jerking when accelerating, car won't accelerate, Chevy Silverado problems by mileage and the code index.

Methodology. The complaint set is every complaint in NHTSA's file whose narrative contains "P0700"; all 211 were sorted twice, independently, by the same written rules (the two sortings matched on the category for 194 of 211, 92%, and on stall-or-power-loss for 201 of 211, 95%), and differences were settled by written rules. Fifty were sorted first, as a random sample, and the other 161 afterwards, by the same rules. Every complaint quoted, and every dollar figure, was checked against the full complaint text. Coverage status is our computation from the printed terms, as of September 2026. Nothing here is a failure rate.

Prices verified July to September 2026 in the repair guides they are carried from, and reviewed quarterly. Technical documents verified September 2026: the 94 documents and recall letters gone through in full in our published list — among them GM special coverages N242454441 and N252536751, recalls 24V-797 and 26V-085, bulletins 24-NA-088, 24-NA-172 and 22-NA-258, Honda 25-017 and Subaru 06-93-25.

Had a P0700 fixed by a ground, a harness, a software update or a special coverage — or refused one? Email [email protected] with the vehicle, mileage and outcome.