P0776, P0761, P0868: Solenoid, Valve Body or Fluid Pressure?

P0776, P0761 and P0868 are codes about a result, not a part. The transmission computer commands hydraulic pressure and then watches what happens. P0776, pressure control solenoid B performance, says the pressure it got was not the pressure it asked for. P0761, shift solenoid C performance, says a shift did not happen as commanded. P0868, transmission fluid pressure low, says the pressure it read was below what it expected. None of them says which part is at fault.

This page answers four questions: is it the solenoid, the valve body, the fluid or the pressure itself; can I drive; what does it cost; and who pays. The circuit codes P0755 and P0740 are in the P0755 guide, the converter clutch code in the P0741 guide, and the catch-all P0700, with GM's valve-wear programs, in the P0700 guide. Sister codes (P0775 to P0779, P0760 to P0764, P0867, P0869, P0746 to P0749) appear only where a paper prints them.

The headline. The papers that print these codes almost never blame a solenoid on its own. For P0776 the Nissan and Mitsubishi CVT papers send the technician to look at the belt and fit a valve body if the belt is clean; GM prints a pump that lost its prime, a broken clutch plate and fluid pressure sensors. Ford's, Ram's and Hyundai's answers for P0761 and P0868 are in the atlas below. Of the 202 document files that print one of the three codes, only two name a solenoid assembly as the part to replace, and neither names a single solenoid. On Mitsubishi's CVT the faulty secondary pressure solenoid valve is listed as a fault of the valve body assembly, and, once the belt check is normal, the part replaced is the valve body.

What the page rests on. We collected 683 document files from the carmakers and the recall archive and 3,354 federal owner complaints received from January 2015 through early October 2026. 2,958 of the complaints describe a solenoid, valve body, pressure or fluid fault on a transmission and 396 do not. Only 134 print P0776, P0761 or P0868 (96, 4 and 36; two of them print two of the codes), so read every count as "complaints describing a fault of this kind", not "P0776 complaints". Counts are complaints, not cars; nothing is a failure rate.

Is a P0776, P0761 or P0868 code a bad solenoid, and should that be the first part you pay for? PulsCar collected 683 maker document files and 3,354 federal owner complaints, 2,958 of which describe a transmission pressure, solenoid or valve body fault. In the 202 document files that print the codes, none tells a shop to replace one solenoid on its own. They send P0776 to a belt check and a valve body, software, a pump that lost its prime or a broken clutch plate, P0761 to Ford's software, break-in and valve body steps, and P0868 to a software recall, Ram flashes or a new transmission. In the complaints, 997 end at a valve body (34%), but 412 of those are GM-brand complaints from 2024 to 2026, and of the 133 that print one of the codes only 8 end at a valve body. Ask for the freeze frame, the software level, the fluid level and your VIN's campaigns before any part.

🟢 marks a claim resting on a document in the Sources section; ⚪ marks a shop-price estimate from our repair guides. Every complaint count comes from the 3,354 complaints we read and published; owner-reported figures are what people told NHTSA, published with NHTSA complaint numbers, with the figures we left out, and the documents are listed.

Words on this page. Papers: carmakers' bulletins, campaigns and recall filings. TCM, PCM: the transmission and engine computers. Valve body: the block of channels, valves and solenoids that sends fluid to the clutches. CVT: a gearless automatic with a steel belt. Borescope: a small camera that looks at the belt.

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).

What P0776, P0761 and P0868 say: the pressure was not what the computer asked for

The names. 🟢 Nissan prints "The MIL is ON with DTC P0776 (PC SOLENOID B - Pressure Control Solenoid “B” Performance/Stuck OFF) stored." GM prints "P0776: Transmission Control Solenoid Valve 2 Stuck Off" and Mitsubishi "DTC P0776: Abnormality in Secondary Pressure Solenoid Valve Function". For P0868, Nissan prints "The MIL is ON with DTC P0868 (FLUID PRESS LOW) stored.", Ford "Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0868 (Transmission Fluid Pressure Low)" and Ram "P0868-00 - Transmission Fluid Pressure Low." P0761 is the odd one: in the 62 document files that print it, none gives it a name; the generic OBD-II name is shift solenoid C performance. It is a bare number in a list.

What the codes measure. A result, not a circuit. 🟢 Mitsubishi's CVT bulletin reprints the service manual's monitor for P0776: the code sets when the target secondary pressure and the actual one differ by more than 1.2 MPa (174 psi), held for 10 seconds when the pressure is too low and 15 when it is too high. The probable causes it lists are "Malfunction of valve body assembly (Faulty secondary pressure solenoid valve)" and "Malfunction of the CVT assembly".

What the codes do not know. Which part failed. 🟢 GM's 2019 Malibu paper PIP5671 lists P0746 and P0776 as solenoid valve codes and then names a different part: "This condition may be caused by an internal failure in the transmission fluid pressure sensors." If the freeze frame for one sensor reads low or zero, it replaces both sensors. Ford's recall letter for 2021 F-150 trucks says P0868 "may falsely activate". The same code sits on a failed pump in one paper and on a software fault in another.

What the driver feels. Anything from nothing to no drive. 🟢 Nissan, for P0776: "The vehicle may also hesitate and/or have reduced power." Ford, for the false P0868: "This DTC causes a wrench light to illuminate, and the transmission to shift into a neutral state." GM, for newer full-size SUVs after deep cold: "No Reverse when cold outside."

First: what does the car do, and which code is it?

Write down every code and exactly when the car misbehaves; it decides which documents apply. Routes: 1 a free repair, 2 fluid and leaks, 3 a solenoid and wiring, 4 the valve body, 5 the pump or a rebuild.

A code with normal shifting leaves time for the cheap checks. A transmission that loses drive does not.

The maker atlas: who prints these codes, and what they blame

Bulletin numbers are linked to NHTSA's PDF. Nissan accounts for 58 of the 76 document files that print P0776, Ford for 43 of the 62 that print P0761 and Ram for 57 of the 73 that print P0868. The Nissan files are mostly revisions of about a dozen bulletins; the Ford and Ram files are many different bulletins that list the code among dozens of others.

The pattern. 🟢 Where a paper names a hardware cause for P0776, it is the belt, the valve body, a pump, a plate, clutch or brake damage (Toyota's AB60F), debris, fluid pressure sensors or, in two GM papers, a solenoid assembly. P0868 is the code that software can both cure and create: Ford's recall says it "may falsely activate", and Nissan's NTB20-037 reprograms the 2018-2019 Sentra and Versa with a new diagnostic logic in which "New DTC P0868 will turn the MIL ON."

The do-not-replace lines: what the papers tell a shop to hold back

• Allison trucks (GM PIP4379K): 🟢 "Important: Replacement of the TCM will not likely correct any of the above DTCs or low main line pressure."
• 2011 six-speeds (GM 16-NA-092): 🟢 "Do not replace the transmission or the transmission fluid based only on the appearance of the transmission fluid."
• Nissan CVT (NTB15-086d): 🟢 "If the belt inspection result is OK, replace the valve body." A whole CVT needs proof for the dealer's pre-authorization: "Failure to submit a continuous video will cause immediate denial of request for replacement."
• Subaru 2010-2013 Legacy, Outback and Tribeca five-speeds, 6,000 miles or less, flashing oil temperature lamp (16-80-11R), P0761 among ten codes: 🟢 "Instead of replacing the valve body, flush the transmission and perform the Dynamic Check Mode procedure."
• Stellantis (GPOP item 9100202, 2023 models): 🟢 "If DTCs P0944 and P0868 are present, do not replace the torque converter or internal transmission components."

The 10-minute check

1. Write down when it happens (2 minutes). Cold or warm? At launch, in reverse, in one gear? After a fluid or filter service, a jump start or a night below minus 13 °F (minus 25 °C)?

2. Read every code, with freeze frame (2 minutes). A parts store reads codes free; ask for every code and the freeze frame (how to read and reset them).

3. Look at the fluid (3 minutes). With a dipstick, follow the manual. Many CVTs and newer automatics have no dipstick and are set at a plug at a scan-tool temperature, which is shop work (the fluid change guide). A puddle after a night is a leak, one of the cheapest causes on this page.

4. Think back (2 minutes). A fluid change, a filter, a pan removal? GM's Allison paper says the codes can follow them. Tell the shop first.

5. Run the VIN (1 minute). At nhtsa.gov/recalls, and with a dealer for campaigns and software updates, which may not show up there.

Six situations, and which is yours

"A 2013-2016 Altima or 2014-2016 Rogue, light on, P0776, hesitation." Campaign PC490 first; if the code stays on a 4-cylinder Altima or a Rogue, the belt check (our reading of the two papers). → Routes 1 and 4.

"A Ford F-150 (2017-2023), Expedition or Mustang (2018-2023) or Ranger (2019-2023) with harsh or delayed shifts and P0761 among the codes." Software and a break-in routine first (the 10R80 papers cover vehicles built on or before August 15, 2022; the build date decides). → Routes 1 and 4.

"A 2021 F-150 built without auto-start-stop, a wrench light, a shift into neutral at speed, P0868." A software recall: call the dealer now; if it shifts to neutral and one key-off/key-on does not restore drive, have it towed (Ford's owner letter). → Route 1.

"An Allison Silverado or Sierra with delayed or no engagement after a filter service, P0761 or P0776." The fluid level, the filter and the pump. → Route 2.

"A 2008-2011 GM car with a six-speed, no reverse or no third gear, P0776." A clutch plate (PI0780A, transmissions built to January 15, 2011) or, on early-2011 cars, the control solenoid valve assembly (16-NA-092). → Routes 3 and 5.

"A 2023 or 2024 Ram 2500 or 3500 with the 68RFE that engages slowly after sitting, P0944 and P0868." A thrust bearing (2024 trucks) or, per the 2023 case record, a transmission replacement. → Route 5.

The P0776, P0761 and P0868 price ladder, from the bottom up

How much does it cost to fix P0776, P0761 or P0868, and who ends up paying? PulsCar took every dollar figure in the 2,958 complaints that an owner tied to a diagnosis, a repair or a replacement for this fault: 462 figures in 391 complaints, of which 65 are amounts paid, 71 bills, 302 quotes and 24 unstated. A valve body or mechatronic unit runs $444 to $6,800 with a median of $2,500, a solenoid $25 to $4,000, a diagnosis $100 to $300 when billed and a transmission $900 to $27,000. Of the 211 transmission figures, 157 are quotes. Our guides carry $300 to $900 for a solenoid, $500 to $1,200 for a valve body and $1,800 to $4,500 for a rebuild. A recall, campaign or warranty repair costs $0, so the VIN, the software and the fluid come before any part.

The ⚪ figures come from our guides to transmission repair cost, diagnostic cost, fluid leaks and torque converter cost; most of the big owner figures are quotes, not bills.

The five routes, cheapest first

Each route is a place the pressure can be lost, starved or misjudged. "Came back" means the owner says the same fault returned. The valve body is the most-named cause in the complaints (997 of 2,958, 34%) but sits fourth, because the papers put software, the fluid and a belt or pressure test in front of it. That share is not about your code: 412 of the 997 are GM-brand complaints from 2024 to 2026, the period of GM's valve-wear programs (the first recall is from October 2024) (the P0700 guide), and among the 133 complaints that print one of the three codes only 8 end at a valve body. A solenoid is where 266 complaints end (9%), and no paper tells a shop to replace one on its own for these codes.

Route 1 · A free repair: software, a recall or special coverage — $0 when it applies

What it is. The maker has printed a software update or a small fix for a code or symptom on certain cars, paid for by a recall, a campaign or warranty. The status of each is in the coverage file below.

What the documents say.

• 🟢 Nissan Altima 2013-2016 and Rogue 2014-2016, campaign PC490: "Under specific driving conditions, hydraulic pressure may decrease and result in belt slip within the CVT. This may result in MIL illumination (P0776) and poor acceleration in some vehicles." The remedy is a CVT reprogram of about an hour, with no parts, for approximately 1,657,666 vehicles.
• 🟢 GM Buick Encore GX 2020-2021 and Chevrolet Trailblazer 2021, A202301230: "The main pump in the CVT has a priming delay under certain conditions." with "DTC's P0746 and P0776 may also set illuminating a Check Engine Light." The fix is software, "No parts are required for this repair.", for approximately 24,919 vehicles.
• 🟢 Ford 2021 F-150 built without auto-start-stop, 22S15 and 25S24: "In some of the affected vehicles, Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0868 (Transmission Fluid Pressure Low) may falsely activate, and can do so at any vehicle speed." The remedy is a PCM software update with Ford's FDRS tool ("IDS cannot be used to complete this repair"), at no charge, for 47,084 trucks. The second recall exists because the first fix was recorded as done on 566 trucks by Ford's count (NHTSA lists 567) where it may not have been installed correctly. Ford's owner letter for 22S15 warns that a loss of vehicle mobility can increase the risk of crash, asks owners to call the dealer without delay and to request a tow if a key-off/key-on does not restore the transmission.
• 🟢 Kia K5 and Sorento with the 8-speed dual-clutch, SA502: "In some cases, the cluster may display a transmission error message and/or MIL ON with DTC P086800 stored." The cause is "due to the amount of clutch oil flow consumption immediately after starting." and the fix is a computer update "during the warranty period".

What the owners report. 157 of the 2,958 complaints end with software or a campaign as the only stated repair (5%), and 119 of those (76%) say the problem came back. Those are shares of complaints, not success rates: owners whose update cured the fault rarely write to NHTSA. 908 (31%) mention a recall, campaign, bulletin or special coverage. Two of the 3,354 name PC490, both from the same owner, and none of the 3,354 names Ford's 22S15 or 25S24 by number.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The VIN and the software level. A dealer can run the VIN against open campaigns and compare the software with the latest; on the cars above, that is the repair.

Fix it yourself. The lookup only. A flash needs the maker's tool and a stable power supply as the paper specifies (GM's says not to use a battery charger). nhtsa.gov/recalls lists safety recalls; campaigns, service actions and updates need the dealer and your VIN (our advice: do not wait for a letter).

At the shop — say this: "Please run my VIN for any recall, campaign, service action or software update that names P0776, P0761, P0868 or low pressure on this transmission, and write the answer on the repair order before any part is ordered."

Route 2 · Fluid, filter and leaks — $150 to $400 for a fluid service, $20 to $1,500 for a leak

What it is. Too little fluid, the wrong fluid, a leak, or something that got into the fluid during a service. A pump that cannot find fluid makes low pressure, which is what P0868 reports and one way to set P0776.

What the documents say.

• 🟢 Toyota Land Cruiser 2008-2011, T-SB-0084-08: P0776 and P0761 are two of ten codes, and the repair starts with the fluid: "Confirm correct transmission fluid level by following the procedures in the Repair Manual BEFORE ordering parts or reprogramming the ECM (PCM) since incorrect fluid level can also cause these DTCs." The procedure then checks for leaks, sets the level and asks "Does the transmission fluid smell burnt or have a gritty feel from contamination?" If yes, the paper calls for the ECM flash and a replacement transmission; if no, the flash alone.
• 🟢 GM Allison trucks, PIP4379K and PIP4379N: P0761 and P0776 sit among 16 codes that "could possibly indicate no or excessively low pump pressure as a result of a no prime or loss of prime condition within the transmission pump." "Low fluid level may cause one of or a combination of the listed DTCs to set, particularly during a cold ambient and cold vehicle start." The order: fluid level at temperature, suction filter, then a stuck lube regulator valve.
• 🟢 GM Silverado and Sierra 2011-2014, Allison LCT1000, PIP5100A: "Many aftermarket spin-on filters are shipped with a protective shrink-wrap packaging that may inadvertently be introduced into the transmission during filter installation." The plastic can block orifices in the valve body separator plate, and P0761 may set.

What the owners report. 31 complaints end at fluid, a leak, a flush or a filter (1%); 34 mention the fluid level or low fluid, nine of them to say it was low, and many mention a fluid change or flush. 125 use words such as metal, shavings, debris or sludge, and 55 contain the word burnt or burned. Eight dollar figures for a fluid or filter service run $100 to $672. This route is thin in the complaints; owners may not write to a safety agency when a top-up solves it.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The level, at the temperature the maker sets. Several papers on this page open with it.

Fix it yourself. Only what the manual allows: with a dipstick, check the level and look at the fluid the way the manual says. Most CVTs and newer automatics have no dipstick, and setting their level is shop work (the fluid change guide has the temperatures). In our leak guide a pan gasket is $150 to $400, a drain plug $20 to $150 and, with the transmission out, a front pump or torque converter seal $500 to $1,500.

At the shop — say this: "Before a part, can you check the fluid level the way the maker does it, at the right temperature, show me the pan and the magnet, and tell me whether anyone changed the fluid or the filter on this car recently?"

Route 3 · A solenoid, and the wiring and connector behind it — $300 to $900 at a shop; owners paid or were billed $400 to $2,000

What it is. A pressure control or shift solenoid that sticks or weakens, or the connector and wiring that feed it. The papers treat a performance code such as P0776 or P0761 as a result to be tested, not as a solenoid verdict.

What the documents say.

• 🟢 GM 2011 six-speeds, 16-NA-092: the first of two papers that name a solenoid assembly: "The condition may be caused by a non-functioning pressure control solenoid located inside the control solenoid valve assembly (TEHCM)." The rule is "If SI diagnostics determine that the condition is caused by the control solenoid valve assembly (TEHCM), it must be replaced." It is an assembly, not a solenoid.
• 🟢 GM 2010-2011 hybrid trucks and SUVs with the M99, PIP4831E: "If the date code (indicated YYYY prior to the Q) is between 0104 and 0175, the TCM / solenoid valve assembly should be replaced."
• 🟢 Mitsubishi CVT-8, TSB-22-23-001REV: the manual's P0776 test puts the circuit first. Step 1 asks whether P0966 or P0967 is set; step 2 is an electrical test of the solenoid's signal ("Connect an oscilloscope, and measure the voltage between" the computer's terminal and ground); only then does step 3, the belt check, lead to a valve body (Route 4). If the code returns, step 4 says to replace the TCM.
• 🟢 GM Corvette dual-clutch, 21-NA-033: "This condition may be caused by an Internal transmission solenoid or switch sticking" because of debris; a scan-tool cleaning routine comes before any valve.

What the owners report. 266 complaints end at a solenoid (9%): 73 GM brands, 48 Ford, 29 Toyota. 37 end at wiring, a connector or a harness (1%). Of the 133 complaints among the 2,958 that print P0776, P0761 or P0868, only 3 end at a solenoid. 28 dollar figures for solenoid work run $25 to $4,000, with a median of $950; the 10 that are bills or amounts paid run $400 to $2,000.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The circuit codes and the connector. A P0776 with P0966 or P0967 beside it is a wiring question first, and cleaning a sticking solenoid is a printed GM step before a valve is replaced.

Fix it yourself. No more than a look. If the transmission connector is reachable, check that it is seated and dry. Everything else needs a scan tool that shows commanded and measured pressure.

At the shop — say this: "Which test showed a solenoid, and not the circuit, the valve body or the fluid? Were P0966, P0967 or any circuit code checked, and can I see the commanded and measured pressure before you replace it?"

Route 4 · The valve body or mechatronic unit — $500 to $1,200 at a shop; owners report a median of $2,500

What it is. The block of channels, valves and solenoids that sends fluid to the clutches. On a Nissan or Mitsubishi CVT it is where a belt check ends; on a Ford 10R80 it is a break-in routine and an overhaul; on newer GM trucks it can be what a recall is about.

What the documents say.

• 🟢 Nissan and Infiniti CVTs. The flow is much the same across the Altima, Rogue, Juke, Sentra Turbo, Kicks and Versa papers (the 2018-2021 Kicks and 2020-2021 Versa paper, NTB22-021, first checks the pan for excessive debris or broken parts, which alone sends the car to a new CVT with the maker's approval): take off the valve body, look at both sides of the belt, then "If the inspection result is OK on both sides of the belt, replace the control valve (page 74) and, if applicable, reprogram the TCM (page 81)." If the belt shows slippage, "replace the CVT sub-assembly (page 18), control valve (page 74)" and the rest (NTB20-091, Juke).
• 🟢 Mitsubishi CVT-8. "YES : Replace the valve body assembly. Then go to Step 4." once the belt check is normal (TSB-22-23-001REV).
• 🟢 Mazda3 2012-2013 with the 2.0L SKYACTIV-G automatic, built before September 28, 2012, 05-005/13, P0761:00 among its other codes: "To correct the problem, a new programmed valve body has been established."
• 🟢 Ford 10R60 and 10R80. The possible cause printed for the 10R60 and 10R80 is "sticking valves in the main control valve body" (20-2403). The newest paper for the hybrid 10R80 MHT (26-2395, August 2026) makes a valve body overhaul the third stage, after software and the break-in routine run three times on a lift: "Overhaul (clean and inspect) the main control valve body and road test vehicle following the adaptive learning drive cycle." The newer non-hybrid 10R80 papers (24-2254, 26-2046) skip the break-in routine and the valve body and go to a leak test and the clutch cylinder (26-2046 starts with software).
• 🟢 GM 2021-2023 trucks and SUVs, 22-NA-258 (its first version lists 2021-2022 Escalade, Suburban, Tahoe and Yukon): P0776 and no reverse after deep cold, traced to a torn screen in a spacer plate; "Vehicles not exposed to the cold temperatures will not benefit from the repair." GM's valve-wear programs (P0747) are in the P0700 guide.

What the owners report. 997 complaints end at a valve body or mechatronic unit (34% of 2,958, but 412 of them are GM-brand complaints from 2024 to 2026, and only 8 of the 133 that print the codes); 273 say the car would not move or lost drive (27%), 266 a limp mode or a stuck gear (27%) and 320 mention a recall, campaign or special coverage (32%). Only 103 (10%) say it came back, which is partly how we count: a valve body that was replaced and did not help is counted under "no cause stated", not here. The makes differ: the valve body is the end of 430 of 857 GM-brand complaints (50%), 99 of 159 Volkswagens (62%), 66 of 110 Subarus (60%) and 113 of 467 Fords (24%).

The cheap cause that gets skipped. The belt check, the break-in routine and the software before the part. Nissan denies a CVT replacement for warranty without a continuous belt video, and Ford's hybrid 10R80 paper puts the valve body third.

Fix it yourself. No. A valve body job drains the fluid, takes off the pan and the control valve, and ends in scan-tool learn procedures.

At the shop — say this: "Before a valve body or a CVT, did you run the belt check or the break-in routine, which bulletin applies to my VIN, can I see the photos or the video, and does the quote include the learn procedures and the cooler flush?"

Route 5 · The pump, internal parts, a rebuild or a replacement — $1,800 to $5,500 at a shop; owners are quoted a median of $7,000

What it is. The pump that makes the pressure, the clutches, plates and bearings that hold it, or the whole transmission. The papers reach for these last, and a few batches of cars reach for them first.

What the documents say.

• 🟢 Ford F-Super Duty 2011-2012 with the TorqShift6, built on or before July 25, 2012 (September 30, 2012 with a power take-off unit), 14-0177: "This concern may be caused by the transmission pump losing prime." The pump is replaced only after a gauge test: "Was engagement delayed during which time the pressure gauge also read less than 68.9 kPa (10 psi)?" "Yes - replace the transmission pump assembly."
• 🟢 Stellantis 2015-2016 Grand Caravan and Town & Country, 2016 Journey and ProMaster with the 3.6L and the DG2 transaxle, recall S44: the pump is replaced on every involved vehicle (builds from mid-2015 to April 2016; the VIN decides); the torque converter "only needs to be replaced if the transaxle oil pump has failed and the vehicle was towed in with an inoperative transaxle".
• 🟢 Ram 2500 and 3500, 6.7L with the 68RFE. 21-054-24 for 2024 trucks lists P0868-00 among 13 codes with "CAUSE: Rear selective thrust bearing cracking" and replaces a thrust plate.
• 🟢 Stellantis case record S2321000007. The record prints no vehicle; Stellantis's parts-review item ties it to 2023 Ram 2500 and 3500. It covers P0944 and P0868 set together as the only transmission codes, with a slow engagement after sitting: "If you receive a vehicle in with this condition, please replace the transmission assembly." Its Rev. A limits that to a build-date window and a casting number. The record itself says it "does not authorize warranty repairs".
• 🟢 Kia 8-speed dual-clutch, SC250: "The electric oil pump within the 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) may experience an internal fault due to a quality deviation issue at the supplier." With P1C2D03 stored the transmission is replaced; without it the update alone. Hyundai's 22-01-093H (recall 236) updates the TCU the same way and says the transmission is replaced if P1C2D03 is stored. Its owner letter says the fault gives 20 to 30 seconds of normal drive power, then a complete loss of drive power, which could increase the risk of a crash.
• 🟢 GM 2008-2011 six-speeds built on or before January 15, 2011, PI0780A: P0776 with no reverse or no third gear: "This condition may be caused by a broken 3-5-R apply (waved) plate (507)." The repair is a disassembly with the debris removed.

What the owners report. 298 complaints end with a transmission replaced or rebuilt and no other cause named (10%), 97 with clutches, bands, bearings, the converter or the belt (3%) and 60 at a pump or a pressure part (2%). Of the 60, 30 are Chrysler and Dodge Town and Country, Grand Caravan, Caravan and Journey models, mostly of 2015 and 2016, 21 of those 30 mention a recall, and 22 of the 60 say the vehicle would not move or lost drive.

The cheap cause that gets skipped. A pressure test before a pump or a transmission. Ford's 14-0177 replaces the pump only when engagement is delayed and a gauge reads below 68.9 kPa (10 psi) at the same time, the newer 10R80 papers run a leak test with a line-pressure gauge before the clutch cylinder, and Mitsubishi publishes a hydraulic pressure test that reads each port against a table. Ask what the gauge read.

Fix it yourself. No.

At the shop — say this: "What did the pressure test read, what did the pan and the filter show, which recall or bulletin applies to my VIN, and what does the repair order say the transmission failed on? Please write the codes and the test results on the estimate."

The coverage file: which recalls and programs run in September 2026

The status column is our computation from the printed terms, as of September 2026, not a promise from any maker. Most of these papers print no end date, and the VIN decides.

GM's rear-wheel lock-up recalls and the special coverages that follow them are about P0747 and are explained in the P0700 guide. Ford's 10R80 papers are bulletins, not extensions, so an owner past the warranty is asking for goodwill.

What 3,354 complaints show

What counts. We took every NHTSA owner complaint received from January 2015 through early October 2026 that names these codes or their sister codes, or uses solenoid, valve body, mechatronic or pressure wording with a transmission word: 3,354 in all. 2,958 describe a solenoid, valve body, pressure or fluid fault and 396 do not. A part that was replaced and did not help is not counted as the cause of the fault.

What the owners describe. 692 say the vehicle would not move, lost drive on the road, was towed or was left stuck (23%), 679 a limp mode, a stuck gear or no upshift (23%), 908 a recall, campaign, bulletin or special coverage (31%) and 741 a repair that did not hold or a problem that came back (25%), a share of complaints and not a success rate, because owners whose repair held rarely write to NHTSA. Where a cause is named (2,073 once "no cause stated" and "nothing found" are set aside) the valve body is 48%, a transmission 14%, a solenoid 13%, software 8%.

The cars. Chevrolet is 529 of the 2,958 and Ford 467, Nissan 304, GMC 275 and Volkswagen 159; Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac together, which we call the GM brands, are 857 (29%).

The 2025-2026 jump. The set averages 188 complaints a year from 2015 to 2024 (253 in 2024). Then 553 in 2025 and 524 in 2026 to October 4: 1,077, or 36% of the set, and 587 of those are GM brands (412 of the 997 valve body complaints are GM-brand ones from 2024 to 2026). GM-brand complaints run 13 to 35 a year until 2023, then 69, 317 and 270. The dates line up with GM's own papers: its first rear-wheel lock-up recall, 24V-797, started with a stop on deliveries on October 24, 2024, and its special coverage for the worn valve began on November 26, 2024, with a related recall in 2025 for Cadillac sedans and the Camaro (25V-148) and two more in 2026 (26V-083, a follow-up to 24V-797, and 26V-085); the P0700 guide explains them. We cannot say that the papers caused the complaints, or the other way round.

The 133 that print the codes (134 of all 3,354; one is not among the 2,958). 95 print P0776, 36 P0868 and 4 P0761 (two print two of the codes). Nissan is 52 of the P0776 ones and 13 of the P0868 ones, and three of the four P0761 ones are Fords. They end differently from the rest of the set: 64 name no diagnosis (48%), 34 a transmission replaced (26%), 11 internal hard parts, 8 a valve body, 6 a shop that found nothing, 4 a pump or pressure part and 3 a solenoid. 117 more print only a sister code, P0747 in 66 and P0746 in 20.

When the car loses drive: the safety side

Is a transmission that loses pressure dangerous, and can you keep driving until the shop? PulsCar counted what 2,958 owner complaints about such a fault say: 692 say the vehicle would not move or lost drive. Across all 2,958, NHTSA marks 27 as a crash and 107 as towed, and none records a death. Of the 692, 192 mention a highway, freeway or interstate (28%) and at least 94 say there was no warning (14%). Of the papers that print the codes, only Nissan's PC490 and Ford's recall letters say outright that the car is safe to drive, Ford's with the conditions in its owner letter (Route 1); Mitsubishi's CVT paper warns that continued driving with a shudder or surge can make the belt slip repeatedly and let abrasion powder into the hydraulic circuit. A car that drops into neutral or is stuck in a gear is a tow, not a drive to the shop.

The papers for the same pressure loss on other parts are stricter. 🟢 Subaru's WUV-07 for the 2019 Ascent, about a hydraulic sensor that can misread fluid pressure: "Continuing to operate a vehicle experiencing this condition may ultimately result in loss of power while driving, increasing the risk of a crash." 🟢 Kia's owner letter for the oil-pump fault, when the chimes, the stop-safely-immediately message or the warning lamp appear: "stop your vehicle at a safe location immediately and turn off the engine."

What owners say they paid

462 figures in 391 of the 2,958 complaints are ones an owner tied to a diagnosis, a repair or a replacement for this fault: 65 amounts paid, 71 bills, 302 quotes and 24 with no status. They are what owners wrote, not audited invoices, and we publish them with NHTSA complaint numbers. The paid and billed figures (136) run $100 to $12,000 with a median of $2,350; the quotes (302) run $99 to $27,000 with a median of $4,350. A quote is not a bill, and 157 of the 211 transmission figures are quotes.

Who pays when the car is out of warranty. 69 complaints use the words out of warranty or say the warranty had ended, and 64 put a word of refusal beside warranty, claim, coverage or repair. 44 use the word goodwill, which is what makers call a repair they pay for outside warranty. 16 of them report a refusal, 15 a partial payment (two are the same Tahoe case), 12 only ask for it and one has had no answer. The shares stated run from 10% to 50% of the bill. One GM owner was offered 10%, and another wrote that GM raised its share from 15% to 40% of a $9,925 repair while the dealer offered $500.

Why it comes back after a repair

The part was not the cause. GM says replacing the TCM "will not likely correct" the Allison pressure codes; Nissan sends the repair to a belt check, not a solenoid. The first fix may not have been installed correctly. Ford needed a second recall, 25S24, for 566 trucks that its records show as repaired, and says the update may not have been installed correctly on them. The cause changed. Ford's 10R80 bulletin blamed the computer's adaptive settings not keeping up with hardware wear-in, then keep-alive memory or the valve body, then a clutch cylinder sleeve, and in February 2026 "This may be due to PCM software and/or axial movement of the CDF clutch cylinder (7H351) sleeve causing hydraulic circuit leaks." (26-2046). The fault is batch-specific. The Ram case record S2321000007 was narrowed in its second version to one build-date window and one casting number. In the complaints, 25% say a repair did not hold. That is a share of complaints, not a success rate: owners whose repair held rarely write to NHTSA, and a part that was replaced and did not help is not counted as the cause.

Can you drive with P0776, P0761 or P0868?

It depends on whether the car keeps its gears, and this is our rule, not any maker's. Of the papers that print these codes, only Nissan's and Ford's say outright that the car is safe to drive: Nissan on its Altima and Rogue reprogramming, and Ford on the false P0868 in the 2021 F-150, where "Transmission function may be restored upon a key-off/key-on cycle." That is a way to clear the road, not a repair, and Ford's 22S15 owner letter says that if the cycle does not restore it, owners should "request your vehicle be towed." The same letter says "A loss of vehicle mobility can increase the risk of crash" and asks owners to "call your dealer without delay". 🟢 Mitsubishi's CVT paper, which prints P0776, warns that continued driving with a shudder or surge can make the belt slip repeatedly and let abrasion powder into the hydraulic circuit: "With continued driving under these conditions, the CVT belt may slip repeatedly when accelerating, and abrasion powder may enter the hydraulic pressure circuit" (TSB-22-23-001REV).

A steady light and normal shifting: a shop within days, driving as little as you can, gently, with no trailer and no hard launches (our advice; the slipping guide has the detail). Hesitation, a shudder or a flare between gears (the signs the Nissan and Mitsubishi papers tie to a slipping belt), or a slow engagement after sitting (the Ram case record): drive as little as you can until it is looked at. A car that drops into neutral, will not go into reverse, is stuck in one gear or loses drive: have it towed, not driven to the shop. If the check engine light is flashing, pull over safely, switch the engine off and have it towed; the only exception, for a flashing light alone on a car that starts and runs normally, is a shop within 2 to 3 miles, reached gently, under 40 mph with light throttle; never for a car that will not start (our advice). If the car drops into neutral on the road (our advice): hazard lights, steer to the first safe place with the momentum you have, brake firmly and stop, then call for a tow.

Should you buy a used car with a P0776, P0761 or P0868 history?

Ask what was found, not what was replaced. Ask for the invoice that names the test: belt photos or video, the pressure reading, the software level and the campaigns run on the VIN. On a Nissan CVT, ask whether PC490 and the CVT warranty extension applied; on a Ford 10R80, which stage was done. Before you pay, drive at light throttle through every gear and in reverse, once warm and once after it has sat for an hour, watching for hesitation, flare or a slow engagement.

Three P0776, P0761 and P0868 traps

Trap 1 · Buying a solenoid from the code. Few papers tell a shop to replace a solenoid on its own, and 3 of the 133 complaints that print the codes end at a solenoid. A performance code is a result to test. Ask which test showed the solenoid.

Trap 2 · A valve body or a whole CVT with no belt check, break-in routine or pressure test. Nissan's warranty pre-authorization for a CVT is denied without a continuous belt video, and Ford's hybrid 10R80 paper puts the valve body after software and the break-in routine. See which test the quote rests on.

Trap 3 · Taking a software fix or a cleared code as the end of it. 119 of the 157 complaints whose only stated repair was software or a campaign say the problem came back (people whose fix held rarely write in), Ford needed a second recall for 566 trucks, and 38 complaints end with a shop that found nothing. Ask for the software level and the freeze frame on the repair order.

Three composite scenarios

These are composite scenarios, not individual customers; the dollar figures are shop-price ranges from our guides. A 2014 Altima hesitates on a hill and shows P0776: the owner asks the dealer to run the VIN for PC490 and, if the code stays, for the belt check, before agreeing to a CVT at $3,000 to $5,500. A 2019 F-150 with the 10R80 shifts harshly and stores P0761: the owner asks for the software, the break-in routine and a line-pressure test before a valve body at $500 to $1,200. A 2021 F-150 built without auto-start-stop shows a wrench light and drops into neutral on a road at speed: the owner pulls over safely, tries one key-off/key-on, has it towed if drive does not return, and asks the dealer for recalls 22S15 and 25S24 by number (free) rather than paying a diagnosis at $120 to $300.

The plan: 10 minutes, today, this week

Today (10 minutes). Look under the car for a drip, check the fluid the way the manual says if there is a dipstick, write down when it happens and what changed first, and read the codes (ask for the freeze frame). Today (VIN). Ask a dealer for recalls, service actions and software updates by number: PC490 on an Altima or Rogue, 22S15 and 25S24 on a 2021 F-150, SA502 on a Kia K5 or Sorento. This week. If the codes stay, pay for one diagnosis and ask for the software level, the fluid level, the circuit codes and a belt or pressure test, in that order, before any part. If the car drops into neutral, will not go into reverse, is stuck in one gear or loses drive, or the check engine light is flashing, act today: do not drive it to the shop, except as the flashing-light rule above allows.

What this page cannot tell you

Which code your car has. Only 134 of the 3,354 complaints print one of the three codes; the rest describe a solenoid, valve body or pressure fault in words. A complaint that says "valve body" is not a P0776 complaint, and a code reader is the only way to know.

How common any of this is. Complaints are people who chose to write to a federal agency, not a sample of cars, and the pool was built from words. A count here is never a failure rate. The valve body is the largest group partly because the search used its name.

What the papers do not print. Most print no end date and no start date for the coverage they mention, so the status column above is arithmetic, and only the VIN decides. Nissan's repair papers for the new P0868 monitor, NTB20-035 and NTB20-036, are not in our set. Not one of the 3,354 complaints names Ford's 22S15 or 25S24 by number (outside this set, six complaints cite campaign 22V-188, four of them saying the VIN was not included), so we cannot say how many F-150 owners met the false P0868, or fixed it, or were told about the recall.

Sources and documents

Primary documents only. Claims marked 🟢 rest on one of the items below; claims marked ⚪ are shop-price estimates carried from PulsCar's repair guides.

1. Nissan, Infiniti: NTB15-086d, NTB16-110a, NTB18-077, NTB19-040, NTB19-068, NTB20-037, NTB20-091, NTB22-021, campaign PC490, the CVT warranty extension of May 11, 2020, the Infiniti QX60 extension and the later extensions for the Rogue and Pathfinder of June 2022, the Sentra, Versa and Altima of May 2023 and the Maxima and Murano of October 2025.
2. Mitsubishi: TSB-20-23-001, TSB-22-23-001REV and the hydraulic pressure test TSB-15-23A-002.
3. General Motors: PIP4379K, PIP4379N, PIP5100A, PI0780A, 16-NA-092, PIP4831E, PIP5671, A202301230, 21-NA-033, 22-NA-258; recalls 24V-797, 25V-148, 26V-083 and 26V-085.
4. Ford: 14-0177, 20-2403, 22-2428, 24-2254, 26-2046, 26-2395, SSM 50512, SSM 50617, SSM 54595; recalls 22S15 (22V-188) and 25S24 (25V-169).
5. Stellantis: 18-027-16 Rev. A, 18-066-23, 21-054-24, case S2321000007, GPOP item 9100202, recall S44 (16V-461).
6. Hyundai, Kia: 23-AT-004H, SA502, TRA109; recalls Hyundai 236 (22V-746) and Kia SC250 (22V-760).
7. Toyota, Subaru, Mazda: T-SB-0084-08, Subaru 16-80-11R and recall WUV-07 (19V-855), Mazda 05-005/13.

Data and method: complaints, amounts, figures left out, documents, the sorting rules and how we counted (CC BY 4.0).

Neighbouring pages: P0755, P0741, P0700, transmission repair cost, fluid change cost, fluid leaks, torque converter cost, transmission slipping and the check engine light.

For P0776, P0761 and P0868 the evidence is the code, the freeze frame, the software level, the fluid and a belt or pressure test; a code read alone is not a diagnosis.

Prices verified July to October 2026 in the repair guides they are carried from and in the owner reports above, and reviewed quarterly. Technical documents verified October 2026.

Did P0776, P0761 or P0868 clear with software, a belt check, a recall or a new valve body? Email [email protected] with the vehicle, mileage and outcome.