P0952: Auto Shift Manual Control Circuit Low

What does P0952 mean?

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.

The code tells you which monitor failed, not which part is broken. Test before replacing parts.

Symptoms

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

Common causes

• High Signal wire of the up/down circuit chafed through and shorted to ground
• Medium Tip switch stuck in the closed position
• Medium Moisture or spilled drink in the shifter creating a leakage path to ground
• Low Low supply voltage to a Hall-type tip sensor

Likelihood is a general estimate across vehicles; your make and model may differ.