Powertrain, generic · Transmission

P0952 Auto Shift Manual Control Circuit Low

Check engine lightUsually off

EmissionsNot relevant

Drive cycleNot required

Limp modeNo

The control unit sees the voltage on the manual up/down request circuit below its expected window, typically a signal wire shorted to ground or a switch stuck in the grounded state. In many tip gates the moving contact switches to ground, as a Nissan patent shows, so a short to ground can mimic a permanently held request; a Volkswagen patent describes checking the Hall tip sensors for shorts and breaks while the lever is in P or R. No manufacturer documents this exact code publicly; CARB requires circuit checks on such inputs. P0953 is the high counterpart, P0950 the general and P0951 the plausibility fault. In practice manual shifting is locked out while D keeps shifting automatically.

Likely causes

Signal wire of the up/down circuit chafed through and shorted to ground

Tip switch stuck in the closed position

Moisture or spilled drink in the shifter creating a leakage path to ground

Low supply voltage to a Hall-type tip sensor

Symptoms

Manual tip shifting inoperative
Gear indicator shows no manual gear or a warning message
Normal automatic driving in D still possible

Repair estimate

DifficultyMediumDIY possible

Parts and labour€40–450

Time0.5–2.5 h

Typical range across vehicles; the real cost depends on what the testing finds.

Parts involved

auto shift manual switchwiring harnesstcm

References: law.cornell.edu, patents.google.com, patents.google.com.