P1835 — 10 documented meanings by make

P1835 does not mean the same thing on every car — manufacturers reuse the number for different faults. 14 makes document it: Audi, Chevrolet (USA), Citroen, Ford, Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Opel / Vauxhall, Peugeot, Saab, SEAT, Skoda, SsangYong, Volkswagen. Find your make below.

P1835 on Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Volkswagen

On Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Volkswagen vehicles P1835 is documented as: Pressure control solenoid 5, N233, open or short circuit to positive. P1835 is stored when the ECU sees short to positive 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: Signal wire touching a permanently live wire in a damaged loom; Connector pins bridged by corrosion or a bent terminal; Internal fault in the component shorting the signal to supply; Incorrect wiring after an aftermarket accessory was fitted.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Disconnect the component and check whether the signal line still reads battery voltage
2. Inspect the loom for melted or rubbed insulation, especially near heat sources
3. Check the connector for a pushed-back or bent terminal
4. Trace the signal wire back to the module, looking for a live wire running alongside
5. Repair the harness, or replace the component if it is shorting internally

Related Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Volkswagen codes:

P1835 on Chevrolet (USA)

On Chevrolet (USA) vehicles P1835 is documented as: Kick-down switch circuit.

Related Chevrolet (USA) codes:

P1835 on Citroen

On Citroen vehicles P1835 is documented as: Transmission transfer case differential lock-up solenoid, short circuit to ground. P1835 is stored when the ECU sees short to ground 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 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 Citroen codes:

P1835 on Ford, Mazda

On Ford, Mazda vehicles P1835 is documented as: Transfer box differential lock-up solenoid, short circuit to ground. P1835 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 Ford, Mazda codes:

P1835 on Honda

On Honda vehicles P1835 is documented as: Kick-down switch malfunction. P1835 is stored when the ECU sees malfunction 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 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 Honda codes:

P1835 on Isuzu

On Isuzu vehicles P1835 is documented as: Transmission kick-down switch malfunction. P1835 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 Isuzu codes:

P1835 on Opel / Vauxhall

On Opel / Vauxhall vehicles P1835 is documented as: Kick-down switch circuit; Kick-down switch circuit low input.

Related Opel / Vauxhall codes:

P1835 on Peugeot

On Peugeot vehicles P1835 is documented as: Transmission Transfer Case Counter Clockwise Shift Relay Coil Short Circuit To Battery. P1835 is stored when the ECU sees short to positive 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: Signal wire touching a permanently live wire in a damaged loom; Connector pins bridged by corrosion or a bent terminal; Internal fault in the component shorting the signal to supply; Incorrect wiring after an aftermarket accessory was fitted.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Disconnect the component and check whether the signal line still reads battery voltage
2. Inspect the loom for melted or rubbed insulation, especially near heat sources
3. Check the connector for a pushed-back or bent terminal
4. Trace the signal wire back to the module, looking for a live wire running alongside
5. Repair the harness, or replace the component if it is shorting internally

Related Peugeot codes:

P1835 on Saab

On Saab vehicles P1835 is documented as: Kick-down position, BUS data unreliable.

Related Saab codes:

P1835 on SsangYong

On SsangYong vehicles P1835 is documented as: Speed sensor reference voltage too low. P1835 is stored when the ECU sees signal too low on vehicle speed signal. 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: High resistance in the supply or ground path, dragging the signal down; Corroded connector adding resistance the module reads as a low reading; Sensor drifted out of tolerance with age; Partial short to ground somewhere in the signal line.

Check first, cheapest first:

1. Read the live value on a scanner and compare with a known-good reading
2. Clean and re-seat the connector, then re-test before replacing anything
3. Check the ground point for that circuit — a poor ground causes this far more often than a bad sensor
4. Measure the sensor against specification with the connector back-probed
5. Replace the sensor only once the wiring and ground have been ruled out

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 P1835 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.