OBD-II Code · Powertrain
P0011
Camshaft Position "A" — Timing Over-Advanced (Bank 1)
Severity
medium
Worth booking. It costs fuel, emissions or comfort until it is fixed.
Can you drive it
Only if running normally
A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety.
Indicative cost (USD)
$100–$1,200
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
VVT actuator on intake bank 1 reports timing too far advanced relative to commanded.
How a shop works this
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.
Note every code that is set, not just this one.
Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.
Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.
Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.
Confirm the fault is current rather than history.
Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.
Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
That order is what a shop checks first for this code — wiring and connections before the component they run to, because a connector costs nothing to inspect and is a common answer.
If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.
Common symptoms
- Check engine light
- Rough idle
- Loss of power
- Poor fuel economy
Likely causes
- Stuck VVT solenoidMost common
- Low/dirty oil restricting VVT actuator
- Wiring to solenoid
- Worn timing chain/tensioner
Read the full diagnostic procedureBank 1 intake camshaft is mechanically OVER-ADVANCED — the PCM commanded the phaser to a target angle (say 20 degrees advance) and the cam position s…
Bank 1 intake camshaft is mechanically OVER-ADVANCED — the PCM commanded the phaser to a target angle (say 20 degrees advance) and the cam position sensor reports the cam actually moved further than commanded, or won't return to park. This is a mechanical/hydraulic code, not electrical.
Cheapest-first ladder
- Pull live data and watch commanded vs actual cam angle at idle warm — they should track within 2 degrees; if actual lags or overshoots by 5+ degrees, the phaser or oil supply is the issue.
- Check oil level AND viscosity — wrong-weight oil (5W-30 in a 0W-20 spec engine) is the #1 P0011 cause, the phaser can't bleed off pressure fast enough.
- Pull the OCV and clean the screen — varnish on the inlet screen restricts return flow and the phaser stays advanced.
- Verify oil pressure at idle hot — minimum 10 psi at idle, 40+ psi at 2500 rpm; low pressure means the phaser hydraulics can't respond. Don't replace the camshaft phaser ($400-$900 part plus 4-6 hours labor) until you've done an oil change with correct viscosity, cleaned the OCV screen, and verified oil pressure — 60% of P0011 cases clear with those three steps.
Vehicle-specific patterns2003-2012 Honda Accord/Odyssey/Pilot J35 V6 and 2006-2011 Civic/CR-V K24 — VTC actuator (the bolt-on phaser at the front of the intake cam) wears int…
- 2003-2012Honda Accord/Odyssey/Pilot J35 V6 and 2006-2011 Civic/CR-V K24 — VTC actuator (the bolt-on phaser at the front of the intake cam) wears internally and rattles on cold start for 1-2 seconds before throwing P0011; updated VTC actuator part number 14310-R44-A01 is the fix.
- 2007-2016Toyota Camry/Highlander/Sienna 2GR-FE V6 — OCV inlet screen clogs, TSB-0192-09 covers the screen cleaning procedure as the first repair.
- 2008-2014Subaru Impreza/Forester/Outback EJ25 — AVCS sprocket internal spring fails, the cam can't return to base timing, replace the AVCS assembly (sold as a unit).
- 2007-2013Nissan Altima/Maxima VQ35 — secondary timing chain guide cracks and the chain skips a tooth, throwing P0011 with a rattle at startup; this is the expensive one, full timing chain job.
Estimated repair$60 to $1,800.
Look up another code
P0011 — frequently asked
What does a P0011 code mean?
VVT actuator on intake bank 1 reports timing too far advanced relative to commanded.
What causes a P0011 code?
Common causes: Stuck VVT solenoid; Low/dirty oil restricting VVT actuator; Wiring to solenoid; Worn timing chain/tensioner.
What are the symptoms of a P0011 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Rough idle; Loss of power; Poor fuel economy.
Is it safe to drive with a P0011 code?
Only if running normally. A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety. Estimated repair: $100-$1,200.
How do I diagnose a P0011 code?
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed. 1. Note every code that is set, not just this one. 2. Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under. 3. Confirm the fault is current rather than history. 4. Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
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