OBD Code P0705 - Can I be the only one?
 

Hi All:

No mention of this one at all in Search results so my truck must be special:rolleyes:

Book says "Transmission Range Sensor Circuit Malfunction (PRNDL Input)"

Anyone know what this is and/or how to remedy?

Thanks in advance.

Ron

i have one also in my '98 Montero SPorts.. any help..!..thanks much...!

P0705 (Check Engine Light)

I reset my CEL with my code reader and it appears to be gone for now (no pending errors shown). So hopefully it was just a momentary signal glitch - or perhaps it's just the calm before the next storm? We'll see.

In the meantime I did some research and belive this code is caused by either a faulty sensor on the trans or by a mis-adjustment of the shifter cable. I can send you copies of the diagnosis and calibration section from the FSM for my truck (probably similar to the set-up in your Sport) PM me your e-mail address if you want it. I haven't pulled my skid plate to confirm but from the drawings it looks like this Range Sensor is attached to the side of the tranny and that the end of the shift cable attaches to it. Should be easy to replace and/or adjust.

Hope this helps.

Ron

Hi All:

Reviving my own (old) thread because:

a) I never found a fix and now it's gone from intermittent to routine.
b) I've done more research an found a "possible" fix that I'll try soon and it's worth sharing. See below
c) Just got a PM from a member needing to know how to locate the sensor.
d) Hoping that by now there are others who may have some input.

First, to answer the location question, the Transmission Range Sensor (also called Park/Neutral Switch in the Montero Manual and Neutral Safety Switch by most other car parts companies) is a pie shaped flat cast aluminum unit about 3" wide bolted to the passenger (right) side of the transmission. If you look at the drivers side and follow the shifter cable to where it attaches to the shift operating rod - that rod goes all the way through the casing and the sensor is attached to the opposite end. So it's just across from the cable connctor. When the shift cable rotates the operating shaft to select the gears, the sensor's internal contacts rotate and accomplish 3 things:

1) In Park and Neutral (ONLY) it completes the circuit from the key switch to the starter solenoid (thus the Neutral Safety Switch name)
2) It has six outputs, one for each gear selection and these tell the ECU and A/T Computer the position of the operating shaft - these also turn on the PRND32 indicator lamps in the instrument panel.
3) In "R" it completes the Back Up light circuit, turning on the BU Lights.

My main frustration so far is that, in accomplishing these things, my switch works perfectly. Truck starts only in P or N, all the indicator lights are correct, and the Back Up lights come on at the proper time. BUT, I keep getting the P0705 code.

I found documention in the OBDII manual that the 705 code is only triggered if the ECU gets two "ON" signals at the same time - e.g. D + 2. Elsewhere it says the code is thrown by an open or short in the switch. But if that's what's happening to me, there would be actual faillure symptoms in the lights or starting operation and as I said operationally my unit seems fine. Hope it's not an ECU or wiring harness problem.

Anyway, I found the Jeep DIY article linked below and it appears to be an almost exact copy of the Mitsu sensor so my next step, as soon as weather permits is to see if I can open and clean mine. (Will check and clean the connector pins first) No guarantee that ours can be disassembled like the Jeep versions but it's worth a look-see. Will post what I find. If anyone has any experince to share please jump in.
http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticl...tch/index.html

EDIT: Here's an even better link: http://www.bc4x4.com/tech/2010/jeep-...ty-switch-nss/


Thanks, Ron

To J. Strandberg:

I sent you a reply to your PM request for FSM diagrams on Range Sensor (Park Neutral Switch) Too big to post here. As you can see, the similarities with the one in the Jeep photos are too close to be a coindidence.

I'm still hoping to get mine off to inspect. Unfortunately it looks like a ton of exhaust & CAT parts are in the way.

Let me know how it goes with yours.

Ron

Ron,
Thanks for the link with the jeep. I took mine off this weekend, the only difference for me is I didn't disconnect the wire harness from under the hood like it showed, I just unplugged it from the top of the sensor. Mine had a plate protecting it but once that was off I just followed the steps and the inside was pretty much identical. I cleaned it up, put it back together, and installed it on the truck. I haven't been able to test it yet as I'm in the process of replacing my valve cover gasket and the engine is still apart. Also my OBD code reader is still on it's way here, but when it does i'll let you know how it went. Thanks again for the info, saved me a hefty repair bill

John

Thanks John:


Glad the info was helpful. Hope the code is cleared when you get a chance to reset with your scanner. I noted that the Jeep version had the wiring permanently connected to the sensor while ours have a plug in conector. Otherwise they seem identical.

As noted, I haven't been able to work on mine due to weather. Was it difficult to get yours off without removing the Y downpipe and associated catylitic coverter?

Was there a lot of contamination inside your sensor like in the Jeep article?


Ron

SUCCESS!

I can now close this P0705 thread. Finally got some decent weather up here in Seattle (one day!) and went through the whole Range Sensor assy. As noted above ours are indeed identical - internally - to the Jeep part in that DIY link. I was hoping to find that the problem would be obvious once I got it apart but everything looked great inside and all the positions checked out electrically. So back to square 1.

Thankfully I remembered the part in the FSM that says if everything else checks out OK it may be shift cable adjustment. I thought it would be another waste of time since there was no problem with gear selection. Took me 5 minutes to take about 1/4" slack out of the cable (simple slotted hole adjuster) and after completing the drive cycle the error code is gone. First time in months that my scanner shows green with zero codes. A beautiful sight - glad I didn't spend big bucks on a new sensor which was my first impulse based on the code description.

Transmission idicator light not working
 

Has anyone had this issue when the dashboard shifter position light never come on?

I check all the bulbs and they are all good. Replaced the position sensor attached to the transmission and still nothing. I have the P0705 code. When I reset it, the truck runs normal. After driving for a couple of hundred yards, the check engine light comes back on. The engine loses power and if I get to a stop the idle drops and the engine dies. Any thought? I could really use some help!