P0746: Pressure Control Solenoid A Performance/Stuck Off
A generic powertrain (engine and transmission) trouble code, same meaning on every brand.
Drive gently to a shop - wrong line pressure damages clutches.
Symptoms
- Harsh, banging shifts
- Or soft, slipping shifts
- Delayed engagement into drive or reverse
Likely causes, most common first
- Pressure control solenoid stuck
- Valve body bore worn
- Fluid contaminated with debris
- Wiring fault to the solenoid
Read P0746 yourself before paying for diagnosis
A basic Bluetooth OBD-II scanner ($20-40) plugs into the port under the dashboard and shows this code with live sensor data on your phone - useful both for confirming the fix and for talking to a shop from an informed position.
What is going on and how it gets diagnosed
P0746 means the pressure control solenoid is not varying line pressure as commanded. Line pressure is what clamps the clutch packs, and getting it wrong is damaging in both directions: too low and the clutches slip, too high and every shift arrives as a bang.
Debris is the usual mechanism. Fine clutch material circulating in old fluid settles in the solenoid and in the valve body bores, which is why a fluid and filter service is both the cheapest first step and the one most likely to reveal how far the transmission has already gone.
Repair options and cost
Typical US independent-shop ranges, parts and labor. Dealers run higher; regional labor rates vary.
Owner reports mentioning P0746
“Pressure Control Soleneoid "A" Prformance stuck oof -P0746. Second opionin: Valve bddy Assembly clutch kits inside transmission. Toyota of Dallas refuse to provide service. I had done Tranmission service done by them . Need to get it fix van with new transmission installed and correct any other recall of 2025 to be fix.”2017 Toyota Sienna · Feb 2025
“Got car on June 15 after 3:30. Five hours later the car would not reverse or drive forward. Sound like gears would not shift. And the car was also dropped of to me with no antifreeze. I found codes: P1700, P0868, P1778, P0746 and Top Motors who I bought the car from towed the car to fix it but has not told me what was wrong with the car. I have not heard from them and I missed one and a half day of work. They gave me a 6 month warranty but it should have been 2 year warranty. They said it will take at least a week to get it back to me. I have been without my car for 5 days. The car was on Carfax website. I would like a 2 year Warranty and half of the money back of what I paid for the car.”2009 Nissan Murano · Jun 2021
“Upon accelerating from a stationary position at a stop sign, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The driver was turning right, and she was able to get the car to the shoulder where she turned off the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, she was able to drive away with little noticeable problem. She states the car will often jerk into gear and sometimes will seem to jump in/out of gear while driving. The engine light came on, and the code reads "p0746".”NHTSA complaint · Feb 2020 · 164,000 mi
Show 4 more owner reports
“The battery ran out, I sent it to a mechanic, a fault arrives and now the transmission fails, it does not accelerate when it does so, it gives me a code p0746 I do not know what to do see how they can help me thanks”2009 Nissan Maxima · Feb 2020
“Transmission goes into limp mode once vehicle reaches normal operating temperature. Codes are p1689 and p0746. When this happens the car will only function in 2nd gear and nothing else. This is very dangerous on interstates where the minimum speed limit can not be reached. Researching online, this is a known problem and the mechatronic needs to be replaced.”2006 Volkswagen Jetta · Oct 2019 · 265,000 mi
“Tl* the contact owns a 2014 nissan maxima. While driving 45 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle decelerated. While at a stop sign, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle seized and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (country hill motors, 6639 f frontage r, merriam, ks 66202, 913-362-7111) where failure code: p0746 (line solenoid performance) was found. The dealer stated that the transmission failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,000.”2014 Nissan Maxima · Jul 2018 · 101,000 mi
“Car hesitates shifting from 1st to 2nd. At times, there is a loud "clunking" sound when the gas is pressed hard. Then even when the gas is pressed all the way down, car would slowly shift. It takes about 10 to 20 seconds before it would shift normally. This gets worse when driving for about 10 minutes. Error code it returns include p1778 and p0746. Separate issue: the driver seat rocks back and forth when accelerating and stopping.”2011 Nissan Maxima · Sep 2015 · 107,400 mi
Cars that report P0746 most often
Based on mentions of this code in NHTSA owner complaints.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive with P0746?
Drive gently to a shop - wrong line pressure damages clutches.
How much does it cost to fix P0746?
Typical US repair costs range from $200 for the simplest fix (fluid and filter service) to $1,800 in the worst case. The right number depends on which cause your car has - see the causes list.
Related codes
The codes closest to P0746. They often appear together, and telling them apart is usually what narrows the diagnosis.
Definition per SAE J2012 standard nomenclature. Symptoms, causes and costs are editorial guidance - always confirm with a diagnosis of your specific vehicle.