P1733 — 14 documented meanings by make

P1733 does not mean the same thing on every car — manufacturers reuse the number for different faults. 16 makes document it: Audi, Chevrolet (USA), Chrysler, Citroen, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mazda, Opel / Vauxhall, Peugeot, SEAT, Skoda, SsangYong, Volkswagen. Find your make below.

P1733 on Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Volkswagen

On Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Volkswagen vehicles P1733 is documented as: Tiptronic switch down, short circuit to ground. P1733 is stored when the ECU sees short to ground on the circuit named in the code. That describes how the circuit is behaving, not which part has failed — the wiring, the connector and the component itself can all produce it, which is why the checks below start with the cheapest.

Usually one of: Wiring insulation chafed through where the loom passes a bracket or edge; Water or salt in a connector bridging the signal pin to the body; The component itself shorted internally; A harness pinched during earlier repair work.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Unplug the component and re-read the code — if it changes, the fault is in the component, not the wiring
2. Inspect the loom where it passes metal edges, brackets and hinges
3. Open the connector and check for green corrosion or moisture
4. Measure resistance from the signal pin to a body ground; near-zero confirms the short
5. Repair the harness section, or replace the component if it shorted internally

Related Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Volkswagen codes:

P1733 on Chevrolet (USA)

On Chevrolet (USA) vehicles P1733 is documented as: Rear wheel speed sensor malfunction. P1733 is stored when the ECU sees malfunction on ABS / wheel speed (rear). That describes how the circuit is behaving, not which part has failed — the wiring, the connector and the component itself can all produce it, which is why the checks below start with the cheapest.

Usually one of: Wiring or connector fault in the circuit; Component failed electrically; Supply or ground problem feeding the circuit; Controlling module fault, though this is the least common of the four.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Read all stored codes — a general fault code is often the symptom of a more specific one
2. Inspect the connector and wiring for the named component
3. Check supply and ground at the component
4. Measure the component against specification
5. Replace the component once wiring and supply are ruled out

Related Chevrolet (USA) codes:

P1733 on Chrysler

On Chrysler vehicles P1733 is documented as: 4C pressure switch check.

Related Chrysler codes:

P1733 on Citroen

On Citroen vehicles P1733 is documented as: 3-4 shift. P1733 points at transmission. The standard definition names the system involved; which part inside it has actually failed is what the checks below establish, cheapest first.

Related Citroen codes:

P1733 on Ford

On Ford vehicles P1733 is documented as: 3-4 shift malfunction. P1733 is stored when the ECU sees malfunction on transmission. That describes how the circuit is behaving, not which part has failed — the wiring, the connector and the component itself can all produce it, which is why the checks below start with the cheapest.

Usually one of: Wiring or connector fault in the circuit; Component failed electrically; Supply or ground problem feeding the circuit; Controlling module fault, though this is the least common of the four.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Read all stored codes — a general fault code is often the symptom of a more specific one
2. Inspect the connector and wiring for the named component
3. Check supply and ground at the component
4. Measure the component against specification
5. Replace the component once wiring and supply are ruled out

Related Ford codes:

P1733 on Honda

On Honda vehicles P1733 is documented as: Shift solenoid D stuck on, shift valve D stuck, automatic transmission clutch pressure control solenoid C stuck off. P1733 is stored when the ECU sees stuck or jammed on transmission. That describes how the circuit is behaving, not which part has failed — the wiring, the connector and the component itself can all produce it, which is why the checks below start with the cheapest.

Usually one of: Carbon or oil deposits binding the mechanism; Actuator motor or solenoid failed; Linkage worn or seized; Control side working correctly but the part cannot physically move.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Command the actuator with a scanner and watch whether it moves at all
2. Remove and inspect for deposits — cleaning frequently fixes this class outright
3. Check the electrical side is delivering the command before condemning the mechanism
4. Inspect the linkage for wear or seizure
5. Replace the actuator if it will not move under command with good supply

Related Honda codes:

P1733 on Hyundai, Kia

On Hyundai, Kia vehicles P1733 is documented as: Rear speed sensor, high input. P1733 is stored when the ECU sees signal too high on vehicle speed signal (rear). That describes how the circuit is behaving, not which part has failed — the wiring, the connector and the component itself can all produce it, which is why the checks below start with the cheapest.

Usually one of: Open ground for the sensor, letting the signal float up; Signal line shorted to a supply voltage; Sensor failed open, which the module reads as maximum; Connector fault interrupting the return path.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Read the live value and compare with what the conditions should produce
2. Check the sensor ground continuity back to the module
3. Unplug the sensor: if the reading changes, the wiring is intact and the sensor is suspect
4. Inspect the connector for corrosion or a spread terminal
5. Replace the sensor once ground and signal wiring are confirmed good

Related Hyundai, Kia codes:

P1733 on Jaguar

On Jaguar vehicles P1733 is documented as: 3-4 gearshift malfunction. P1733 is stored when the ECU sees malfunction on transmission. That describes how the circuit is behaving, not which part has failed — the wiring, the connector and the component itself can all produce it, which is why the checks below start with the cheapest.

Usually one of: Wiring or connector fault in the circuit; Component failed electrically; Supply or ground problem feeding the circuit; Controlling module fault, though this is the least common of the four.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Read all stored codes — a general fault code is often the symptom of a more specific one
2. Inspect the connector and wiring for the named component
3. Check supply and ground at the component
4. Measure the component against specification
5. Replace the component once wiring and supply are ruled out

Related Jaguar codes:

P1733 on Mazda

On Mazda vehicles P1733 is documented as: 3-4 shift error. P1733 points at transmission. The standard definition names the system involved; which part inside it has actually failed is what the checks below establish, cheapest first.

Related Mazda codes:

P1733 on Opel / Vauxhall

On Opel / Vauxhall vehicles P1733 is documented as: Wrong engine type; Wrong variant configuration programmed in engine controller; Wrong combination of engine and transmission controller software.

Related Opel / Vauxhall codes:

P1733 on Peugeot

On Peugeot vehicles P1733 is documented as: Transmission Slip Error. P1733 points at transmission. The standard definition names the system involved; which part inside it has actually failed is what the checks below establish, cheapest first.

Related Peugeot codes:

P1733 on SsangYong

On SsangYong vehicles P1733 is documented as: Solenoid 1, open circuit. P1733 is stored when the ECU sees open circuit on the circuit named in the code. That describes how the circuit is behaving, not which part has failed — the wiring, the connector and the component itself can all produce it, which is why the checks below start with the cheapest.

Usually one of: Broken wire, most often at a flex point such as a door hinge or engine mount; Corroded or pushed-back terminal in the connector; Blown fuse on the supply side; Component failed with an internally open winding or element.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Check the relevant fuse first — it is the cheapest thing that produces this code
2. Unplug and inspect both halves of the connector for corrosion and terminal fit
3. Continuity-test the wire end to end while flexing the loom by hand
4. Measure the component itself against its specification
5. Repair the break or replace the component, whichever the measurement points to

Related SsangYong codes:

Which one is yours

A generic OBD reader gives you the number, not which of these meanings your manufacturer assigned to it. To get to the specific one:

1. Use a brand-specific scanner — VCDS for VAG, INPA or ISTA for BMW, XENTRY for Mercedes, Forscan for Ford. It shows the manufacturer's own text rather than the generic one.
2. Read all stored codes together — the neighbouring ones usually point at which system is involved and narrow the list.
3. Check freeze-frame data: the RPM, temperature and load at the moment it triggered indicate which system was active.
4. If you have no brand scanner, tell me the make and model below and I will tell you which of these applies to your car.

Code family

P1xxx is manufacturer-specific code (VW/Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota etc. have different meanings for the same code number).

Severity

Manufacturer-specific codes need a brand scanner (VCDS for VAG, INPA for BMW, STAR for Mercedes).

That is what holds for P1733 in general. From here it depends on your engine — tell me which car it is and what it does, and I will give you the steps for it: real procedures, torque figures and diagrams instead of general advice.