What this code means
P0780 may indicate that the PCM is seeing a possible shift-control error in the CVT system.
What the vehicle may do
- The vehicle may show a warning light.
- The vehicle may have abnormal shift feel or hesitation.
- The code can appear during a monitored drive cycle even if the symptom is not obvious.
Possible fault areas
- Possible CVT shift-control system concern.
- Possible PCM command or monitoring concern.
- Possible related transmission codes that often need to be addressed first.
Diagnostic path
Code overview
On this 2010 through 2016 Honda CR-V with the 2.4 gas engine, P0780 is a shift error tied to the CVT shift control system. In plain language, the PCM may be seeing shift-control behavior that does not line up with what it expects. The vehicle may have abnormal shift feel, hesitation, a warning light, or it may only show the code during a monitored drive cycle. The broad fault areas can include the CVT shift-control system, the PCM command and monitoring side, or other scan-tool-indicated transmission codes that need to be handled first.
Start the check clean
Start with the basic system checks, then turn the vehicle to ON mode. Clear the DTC with the HDS before you try to reproduce the fault. The point here is to give the PCM a clean run and see whether P0780 comes back under the required operating pattern.
Reproduce the operating conditions
Now test-drive the vehicle in D position or mode until vehicle speed reaches 37 mph (60 km/h). Slow down and stop the vehicle. Then accelerate from a stop at full throttle, still in D position or mode, until vehicle speed reaches 37 mph (60 km/h) again. After that, turn the engine off and repeat that same test-drive sequence one more time.
Check what came back
After the drive cycle, use the HDS to check for other pending or confirmed DTCs that are present along with P0780. If other codes are present, check what those indicated codes mean first. Do not treat P0780 as a standalone PCM decision while related transmission faults are still active.
If P0780 is by itself
If there are no other DTCs with P0780, the path moves to the PCM side. Update the PCM or substitute a known-good PCM, then recheck. If P0780 goes away after the PCM was updated, the troubleshooting is complete. If P0780 goes away only with a known-good PCM substituted, pause and confirm the final PCM decision before calling the repair; do not guess at a final action that is not clear.
Takeaway
The key on P0780 is order: clear it, run the specified D-position drive pattern, check for companion codes, and only move toward the PCM path when P0780 is alone. For more diagnostic training, visit stepdiagnostics.com.
Final check
P0780 should be approached as a controlled reproduce-and-recheck diagnosis, with related codes handled before moving into the PCM path.
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