A hydraulic control apparatus for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle, the transmission including a lock-up clutch, the apparatus including a lock-up clutch switching valve device which is operable for selectively placing the lock-up clutch in a fully released, a partially engaged, and a fully engaged state thereof; a hydraulic pressure producing device which produces a hydraulic pressure; an abnormality detecting device which detects an abnormality of at least one of the lock-up clutch and the lock-up clutch switching valve device; and a control device which, when the abnormality detecting device detects the abnormality, operates the hydraulic pressure producing device for one of (a) applying the hydraulic pressure, and (b) inhibiting the hydraulic pressure from being applied, to at least one of the lock-up clutch and the lock-up clutch switching valve device for forcibly placing the lock-up clutch in one of the fully released and fully engaged states thereof.