To change gears according to driving conditions, the ECU must be able to modulate the hydraulic pressure within the transmission. It does this with the pressure control solenoid(s), but the decision is made using data from the hydraulic pressure sensor. If this transmission sensor is not operating within its expected range, a DTC P0933 will be triggered.
How severe is the code?
If the ECU cannot determine what the current hydraulic pressure is inside the transmission, both the transmission and vehicle performance will suffer. So yes, a P0933 diagnostic code is very serious.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a P0933 include:
- Unusually firm shifts when RPM is low
- Unusually soft shifts under load as RPM increases
- Weaker acceleration power than usual (because the transmission had to start in 2nd instead of 1st)
- The engine does not upshift (because the ECU has locked out higher gears)
Causes
- Damage or corrosion to wiring or connectors
- Faulty fuses
- Non-functional transmission pressure sensor
- ECU / TCM issues
How to diagnose the code?
To diagnose an OBDII P0933 fault code, all wires or connectors along this circuit will need to be inspected for signs of broken wires/damaged ground wires and broken or corroded connectors. The transmission pressure sensor itself will also need to be considered, along with the ECU programming and possibly the TCM.
What repairs will fix P0933?
- Replace or repair damaged wiring or connectors
- Replace blown fuses
- Replace the transmission pressure sensor
- Replace or reprogram the ECU or TCM
Related Codes
P0932 – Hydraulic Pressure Sensor Circuit
P0934 – Hydraulic Pressure Sensor Circuit Low
P0935 – Hydraulic Pressure Sensor Circuit High
P0936 – Hydraulic Pressure Sensor Circuit Intermittent