P0016: Crankshaft/camshaft position correlation (bank 1 sensor A)
The camshaft and crankshaft position signals don’t line up the way the engine computer expects, so the valve timing may be out.
Updated
What P0016 means
The timing chain or belt keeps the camshafts in step with the crankshaft. The engine computer reads both: the crankshaft position sensor and a camshaft position sensor. Their signals should line up within a small margin.
When they don’t, it stores P0016 for bank 1, sensor A. Sensor A is usually on the intake camshaft. The cause can be a chain or belt that has stretched or jumped a tooth, but also a sensor or the variable valve timing.
P0017, P0018 and P0019: other camshafts, and bank 2
P0017 is the same check for bank 1, sensor B, usually the exhaust camshaft. P0018 and P0019 are sensors A and B on bank 2 of a V or flat engine. The causes and advice are the same. Codes on more than one camshaft at once make a cause they share more likely, such as the oil supply or the timing drive.
P0017: Crankshaft/camshaft position correlation (bank 1 sensor B)
P0018: Crankshaft/camshaft position correlation (bank 2 sensor A)
P0019: Crankshaft/camshaft position correlation (bank 2 sensor B)
Can I keep driving?
Stop and get help
Stop when it’s safe to do so and switch the engine off. Driving on can seriously damage the engine. Have it checked before driving again.
General guidance based on the code alone, not on the car’s actual condition. If in doubt, stop and ask a mechanic.
The worst case is a timing chain or belt that has jumped a tooth or is about to fail. On many engines the valves can then hit the pistons, which can wreck the engine. So have this code checked before driving again, even if the car seems to drive normally.
Symptoms
- Often just the check engine light at first.
- Rough running, less power, or hard starting.
- A rattle from the engine, especially just after a cold start, on engines with a timing chain.
- On some cars, the code appears soon after the timing belt or chain was replaced.
Common causes
- Stretched or slipped timing chain or belt. A worn chain stretches over time; a belt or chain can also jump a tooth, or be fitted a tooth off.
- Faulty camshaft or crankshaft position sensor. A sensor that gives a weak or late signal can make the timing look wrong.
- Faulty camshaft adjuster or its oil control valve. A variable valve timing part stuck out of its rest position shifts the camshaft.
- Low or dirty engine oil. The camshaft adjusters, and on many engines the chain tensioner, work with oil pressure.
Typical fixes
- Check the oil level and condition first.
- If the code appeared soon after the timing belt or chain was replaced, have the timing marks checked.
- Have the camshaft and crankshaft signals compared, and the sensors and their wiring checked.
- Have the timing chain or belt, its tensioner and the camshaft adjusters inspected.
Questions
Can I drive with P0016?
Better not. Stop when it’s safe to do so and have it checked before driving again: if the timing chain or belt has stretched or slipped, driving on can seriously damage the engine. Have the car recovered rather than driven to the garage.
Does P0016 mean the timing chain is stretched?
Not always. A sensor, the variable valve timing or low oil can set the same code. But a stretched chain is a common cause, so have it ruled out rather than assumed away.
Why did P0016 appear after a timing belt change?
If the belt or chain was fitted a tooth off, or a camshaft moved during the job, the signals no longer line up. Have the timing checked by the workshop that did the job.