P0745: Pressure Control Solenoid A
What to do
Expect shifts that are harsh, slipping, or harsh at some loads and slipping at others — but happening at roughly the right times. Have the fluid checked and the line pressure measured with a gauge; that measurement is what confirms this rather than internal wear, and it is an hour's work rather than a strip-down.
What this code means
A fault in the solenoid that sets the transmission's hydraulic line pressure. This one does not select a gear — it decides how hard every gear is applied, which makes it different in kind from a shift solenoid and different in how its failure feels.
Pressure has to be matched to torque. Too little and the clutches slip as they take up, which burns them; too much and every shift arrives like a hammer blow. So a pressure control fault shows up as shift quality going wrong across the whole gearbox while shift scheduling stays correct — the transmission changes gear at the right moments and makes a poor job of each one. That signature separates it from almost everything else in this block, and it is worth recognising because the symptom is easy to attribute to a worn-out transmission.
These are variable-current solenoids rather than simple on/off valves, so they degrade progressively. The early stages feel like a gearbox that is merely getting old.
Likely causes
Start here
- Faulty pressure control solenoid · moderate
- Low or degraded transmission fluid · easy
- Debris in the transmission fluid · moderate
Less common
- Worn valve body · specialist
- Damaged transmission wiring harness · moderate
Rare
- Worn transmission fluid pump · specialist
Symptoms
Components involved
Information, not instruction
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Community experience
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