--- title: P0700 and Your Nevada Smog Check | Xpress Smog Check Center url: https://xpresssmogcenter.com/codes/p0700/ business: Xpress Smog Check Center (Located inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center) locations: Reno Northwest: 6100 Mae Anne Ave, Reno, NV 89523, (775) 787-1000, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-4 pm, Sun closed; Reno South: 4993 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502, (775) 828-6996, Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-3 pm, Sun closed type: Nevada smog check (vehicle emissions inspection), drive in, no appointment --- Located inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center - Smog check at two Reno locations - Oil change in the same visit - No appointment needed [Xpress Oil & Lube](https://xpressoilandlube.com/) - [Home](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/) - [Codes](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/codes/) - P0700 # P0700 and your Nevada smog check P0700 means the transmission control module found a problem and asked the engine computer to turn on the check engine light. The smog rule in Nevada is about the lit lamp, not about which system set it, so a 1996 or newer light-duty vehicle with P0700 fails until the lamp is off. 4.7 stars from 550 Google reviews of the two Reno Xpress Oil & Lube Centers Drivers are often surprised that a transmission code can fail a smog check. It makes sense once you see how Nevada's test works: the analyzer reads the vehicle's OBD II computer and fails any light-duty 1996 or newer vehicle whose check engine light is on. P0700 is the transmission's way of switching that lamp on. ## At a glance - SAE J2012 meaning: Transmission control system malfunction (MIL request). - MIL is the malfunction indicator lamp, the check engine light. - Nevada's rule is about the lamp: lit means fail, whichever module requested it (DMV). - P0700 is a pointer: the detailed transmission code is stored in the transmission module. ## A request, not a diagnosis The SAE J2012 definition reads "Transmission control system malfunction (MIL request)." MIL stands for malfunction indicator lamp, the light you know as Check Engine or Service Engine Soon. On many vehicles the transmission has its own computer. When it detects a fault, it stores a detailed code of its own and sends a request to the engine computer to light the lamp. The engine computer records that request as P0700. So P0700 tells you which system raised the flag, and almost nothing about what is wrong. A repair shop reads the transmission module separately to find the specific code. ## Why a transmission code matters to the smog test Nevada's OBD II inspection does not sort codes by system. The Nevada DMV's rule is simply that a check engine light that is on is an automatic fail for a 1996 or newer light-duty vehicle. The test is about the lamp, not about the transmission. A car that shifts perfectly but carries a stored P0700 with the lamp lit still fails, and a car with a transmission complaint but no lit lamp is judged on the rest of its OBD data. There is also a practical link. Transmission behavior affects engine load and speed, and the vehicle's computers share information, so manufacturers treat some transmission faults as emissions-relevant. That is the reason the lamp request exists. ## Common causes a repair shop checks Because P0700 is only the request, common causes a repair shop checks start with reading the transmission module's own code. From there, typical areas include shift solenoids and their wiring, transmission speed or range sensors, fluid level and condition, and connector or communication faults between the modules. The shop decides what the repair is. ## If the transmission feels wrong Some transmission faults put the vehicle in a fallback mode, often called limp mode, where it holds one gear. If the vehicle is shifting harshly or not shifting, get it to a repair shop before worrying about the smog check. If the check engine light is flashing, the DMV's advice is to slow down or stop driving and get service right away, because a flashing lamp signals a severe malfunction. ## Testing with P0700 stored If the vehicle drives safely, testing before the repair has benefits the DMV spells out. The failed report documents why the vehicle failed, allows a ten-day movement permit at reduced cost if registration has expired, and starts the waiver process. Repair money spent before that first failed test does not count toward a waiver. Do not clear codes or disconnect the battery to hide the light before the test. The DMV says that gets the vehicle rejected as not ready, followed by up to a week of driving before it can be tested. ## The waiver path in Washoe A waiver is possible when a 1996 or newer light-duty vehicle still fails for a lit check engine lamp after repairs. In Washoe County the DMV asks for receipts showing at least $200 in parts and labor at a 2G licensed authorized station for repairs directly related to the failure, or at least $200 in related parts bought by the owner within 14 days after the initial test. Then the vehicle, both failed certificates and all receipts go to the DMV Emission Lab. See [the waiver page](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/smog-waiver/). Ask the dealer first about a recall or the federal emissions warranty. Federal law covers some expensive emission components for up to 8 years or 80,000 miles; whether a transmission part qualifies depends on the vehicle, and the dealer can check by VIN. ### Sources - [dmv.nv.gov/emission_obd.htm](https://dmv.nv.gov/emission_obd.htm) (Nevada DMV OBD page: a lit check engine light is an automatic fail, flashing light, test anyway, cleared codes, emissions warranty; read 11/3/26) - [dmv.nv.gov/regrenewal.htm](https://dmv.nv.gov/regrenewal.htm) (Nevada DMV: failed test, repair and Washoe waiver receipts; read 11/3/26) - [epa.gov/state-and-local-transportation/vehicle-emissions-inspection-and-maintenance-im-inf](https://www.epa.gov/state-and-local-transportation/vehicle-emissions-inspection-and-maintenance-im-information-state) (EPA: state inspection and maintenance programs, Nevada included; read 11/3/26) - [obd-codes.com/p0700](https://www.obd-codes.com/p0700) (public code reference for the P0700 definition; read 11/3/26) ### P0700, the generic definition Transmission control system malfunction (MIL request) The SAE J2012 code title. The same P0 code means the same thing on every 1996 and newer OBD II vehicle; the cause behind it differs car to car. ### Your location: Reno South - Call [(775) 828-6996](tel:+17758286996) Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Sat 8 am-3 pm, Sun closed - Address 4993 Longley Ln, Reno, NV 89502 [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=4993+Longley+Ln%2C+Reno%2C+NV+89502&destination_place_id=ChIJc5xNCcI_mYARXjHn3y79iJw) ### Related - [Check engine codes](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/codes/) - [P0300 and your Nevada smog check](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/codes/p0300/) - [Check engine light and your smog check](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/check-engine-light/) - [Smog waiver in Washoe County](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/smog-waiver/) - [Rejected: not ready to test](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/not-ready-rejected/) Located inside Xpress Oil & Lube Center Both smog check locations sit inside an Xpress Oil & Lube Center, the locally owned Reno drive-in that has served this town since 1983. Drive in, no appointment; get your oil changed in the same visit. [About us](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/about/) ## More temperature, cam timing and transmission codes [P0128 Coolant temperature below thermostat regulating temperature Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/codes/p0128/)[P0010 Intake camshaft position actuator circuit (bank 1) Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/codes/p0010/) ## If the light is on at your smog check [### Check engine light and your smog check Why a lit check engine light decides the test. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/check-engine-light/)[### Failed a smog check What the failed report means and the steps that follow. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/failed-smog-check/)[### Repair and retest Getting the repair done and coming back for the second test. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/repair-and-retest/)[### Rejected: not ready to test Why a car can be turned away without failing. Learn more](https://xpresssmogcenter.com/smog-check/not-ready-rejected/) ## P0700 questions Still have a question? Call either Reno location or just drive in; there is no appointment to make. ### My transmission shifts fine. Why did I fail? Because Nevada's OBD rule is about the lit lamp. With P0700 stored and the light on, a 1996 or newer light-duty vehicle fails regardless of how it drives. ### Can a basic code reader show the real problem? A basic reader may show only P0700. The detailed transmission code lives in the transmission module, which a repair shop reads with its own equipment. ### Does a transmission repair reset the monitors? If the codes are cleared, yes. Plan on up to a week of mixed driving before the retest.