P1702 on Ford
Ford: transmission range sensor circuit intermittent
Severity: Inspect soon
A wrong gear-position signal can upset shifting, and owners of 2015–2017 F-150s report sudden downshifts with P1702. Ford recalled those trucks because a bad range sensor signal can cause unintended downshifts. Get it inspected soon.
It gets more serious if:
- Stop: The transmission suddenly downshifts at speed or the rear wheels lock or skid. Ford recalled 2015–2017 F-150s because an incorrect range sensor signal can cause this and a loss of control; pull over safely and have it towed or checked
- Not verified: The transmission goes into limp-home mode (stuck in one gear, little power) or will not shift. Regulations require the light in limp-home mode, but we found no source saying whether you must stop
This page covers only what differs on Ford. For what P1702 means, the ranked causes and the test order, see the P1702 guide.
What's different on Ford
FordYour car
2015–2017 · F-150
Supported by vehicle dataOwners quote dealers finding a failed molded leadframe with P1702, P0706 and P0707, with sudden downshifts and rear wheel lockup. Ford recall 26V-237 covers trucks built 12 March 2014 to 18 August 2017 for unintended downshifts from a bad range signal; it does not name P1702. This comes from owner complaints to NHTSA that quote a shop or dealer readout, so it is labelled vehicle data rather than confirmed.
Where it is:Inside the 6R80 transmission, on the molded leadframe
2017 · Expedition
Supported by vehicle dataAn owner quotes a Ford dealer finding a failed transmission leadframe with P0706, P0707 and P1702. This comes from owner complaints to NHTSA that quote a shop or dealer readout, so it is labelled vehicle data rather than confirmed.
2004 · Thunderbird
Supported by vehicle dataFord 17852 covers an "E" gear display, harsh shifts and P0705 and P1702 after a computer reprogram. The bulletin is on NHTSA, but whether it is still current is not verified, so it is labelled vehicle data rather than confirmed.
17852Status unverified
MIL, "E" gear display, harsh shifts, P0705 and P1702 after PCM reprogramming
2004thunderbird · issued · NHTSA 10008258
Covers the MIL on, "E" shown for gear position, harsh shifts and P0705 and P1702 after the powertrain computer has been reprogrammed. Only the NHTSA flat-file summary was reviewed, not the bulletin itself.
We couldn't confirm whether this bulletin is still current, so it doesn't count as confirmation.
Sources and review
- NHTSA complaint 11650215: 2016 Ford F-150, P1702 and leadframe
- NHTSA complaint 11650397: 2017 Ford F-150, P1702 with sudden downshift
- Ford recalls 1.39 million F-150s for unintended transmission downshift (NHTSA 26V-237)
- April 2026 Ford recall for unintended transmission downshift affecting 1,392,935 vehicles
- NHTSA complaint 11728628: 2017 Ford Expedition, leadframe with P1702
- Ford 17852: 2004 Thunderbird MIL, "E" gear display, harsh shifts, P0705 and P1702 after PCM reprogramming
- Last reviewed
- Written by
- Saurabh K.
- Editorial review
- Pending
- Technician review
- Technician review pending
This page explains what a code usually means; it is not a substitute for a professional inspection. How we source and review · Report an error