What this code means
P0741 may indicate that the transmission lock-up clutch is not applying or holding as expected.
What the vehicle may do
- The vehicle may turn on the check engine light.
- Engine speed during cruise may seem different than normal.
- Some vehicles may show possible drivability changes, while others may have few noticeable symptoms.
Possible fault areas
- Possible solenoid control issue
- Possible hydraulic control or lower valve body issue
- Possible transmission or torque converter issue
Diagnostic path
Code overview and setup
On this 2010 to 2016 Honda CR-V with the 2.4 gas engine, P0741 is a lock-up clutch related code in the transmission control strategy. In plain language, the computer may be seeing that the converter lock-up clutch is not behaving the way it expects. The driver may notice a check engine light, different engine speed during cruise, or possible drivability changes, but the diagnostic path here is not based on guessing from symptoms. The broad fault areas can include solenoid control, hydraulic control through the valve body, or a possible transmission or torque converter issue. Before chasing the code, start with the basic system checks so you know the vehicle, scan tool communication, and obvious conditions are not steering you in the wrong direction.
Confirm whether P0741 is active
Start by confirming the fault. Turn the vehicle to the ON mode and clear the code with the HDS. Start the engine in P, then with the brake pedal pressed, shift to N and then to D. Release the brake, start off in D, and drive the vehicle on a flat road at about 37 mph (60 km/h) for at least 1 minute. Then slow down, stop the vehicle, and turn the engine off. Repeat that same test-drive cycle, then check the HDS for pending or confirmed codes. If P0741 comes back, continue to the solenoid checks. If it does not come back, treat it as an intermittent failure; the system is OK at this time. If captured operating data is available for this code, try to reproduce the captured conditions instead of guessing.
Check shift solenoid valve B
If P0741 is indicated after the confirmation drive, the next move is the shift solenoid valve B check. Run the shift solenoid valve B test and judge whether the solenoid works properly. If shift solenoid valve B passes, call that part of the circuit OK and move on to the lock-up clutch control solenoid check. If shift solenoid valve B does not work properly, the fault is identified as shift solenoid valve B, and the repair path is to replace the lower valve body.
Check the CVT lock-up clutch control solenoid
With shift solenoid valve B passing, test the CVT lock-up clutch control solenoid valve next. If that solenoid does not work properly, the fault is identified as the CVT lock-up clutch control solenoid valve, and the repair path is to replace the lower valve body. If the CVT lock-up clutch control solenoid valve works properly, then both commanded solenoid checks in this path have passed. At that point, the remaining repair direction is the transmission or the torque converter.
Verify the repair
After the repair, keep verification separate from the component testing. Use the same confirmation routine rather than a different road test: clear the code, run the P-to-N-to-D launch and flat-road drive, repeat the cycle, and check for pending or confirmed P0741. The takeaway is simple: confirm the code under the lock-up drive condition first, then separate a shift solenoid B fault from a lock-up control solenoid fault before calling a transmission or torque converter problem. For more diagnostic training, visit stepdiagnostics.com.
Final check
Confirm P0741 under the specified drive condition, then use the solenoid checks to narrow the fault before moving toward transmission or torque converter decisions.
For more guided automotive diagnostics, visit STEP Diagnostics.
