Possible causes

– Low transmission fluid level
– Dirty transmission fluid
– Faulty shifting solenoid valve
– Shifting solenoid valve harness is open or shorted
– Shifting solenoid valve circuit poor electrical connection

When is the code detected?

The P0781 code is detected when actual gear position and the commanded gear position are different

Symptoms

– Engine Light ON (or Service Engine Soon Warning Light)
– Transmission may not shift to the next gear

P0781 VOLKSWAGEN Description

This P0781 code indicates that the 1-2 shift valve in the valve body is locked in the direction of the spring compression. The Transmission Control Module (TCM) controls the gearshifts by turning the shift solenoid valves “ON/OFF” and switching oil pressure to the valves in the valve body. The TCM calculates the “actual” transmission gear by comparing the signals from the input speed sensor and the output speed sensor.