OBD-II Code · Powertrain
P0013
"B" Camshaft Position Actuator Circuit (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)
$80–$500
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
The exhaust camshaft phaser solenoid circuit on bank 1 has a fault.
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
- Reduced MPG
Likely causes
- Failed exhaust cam OCVMost common
- Wiring/connector
- Sludged oil
Read the full diagnostic procedureBank 1 EXHAUST camshaft position actuator circuit fault — same electrical fault tree as P0010, but on the exhaust cam OCV instead of intake.
Bank 1 EXHAUST camshaft position actuator circuit fault — same electrical fault tree as P0010, but on the exhaust cam OCV instead of intake. Applies only to engines with dual VVT (variable timing on both intake AND exhaust cams) — most modern Toyota Dual VVT-i, Ford 3V/4V, GM dual-VVT Ecotec, and most German engines.
Cheapest-first ladder
- Ohm the exhaust OCV solenoid — same 6.9-7.9 ohm spec on most Asian engines, 10-15 ohms on Ford.
- Verify battery voltage at the OCV connector key-on, and PWM signal from PCM (1-99% duty cycle visible on scope).
- Pull the OCV and inspect the screen — exhaust-side OCV screens collect MORE varnish than intake because exhaust cam oil runs hotter; cleaning the screen with brake cleaner is the first parts-free attempt.
- Wiggle-test the harness at the connector and along the valve cover — exhaust OCV wires sit closer to the heat shield and chafe through. Don't replace the exhaust cam phaser on a P0013 — this is a circuit code, the phaser is innocent until P0014/P0015 sets.
Vehicle-specific patterns2007-2015 Toyota Camry/Highlander/Sienna 2GR-FE V6 — exhaust OCV solenoid harness pin corrosion is common, clean the terminals or repin with new ones.
- 2007-2015Toyota Camry/Highlander/Sienna 2GR-FE V6 — exhaust OCV solenoid harness pin corrosion is common, clean the terminals or repin with new ones.
- 2011-2016Ford F-150 5.0L Coyote — exhaust OCV connector locks crack and back out, intermittent code with a tap on the connector reproduces it.
- 2010-2015Hyundai Sonata/Santa Fe 2.4L Theta II — known exhaust OCV failure at 60-90k, replace solenoid.
- 2012-2018GM 2.5L LCV Ecotec (Malibu, Equinox, Impala) — exhaust OCV wire chafes against the cam cover bolt, inspect harness routing.
Estimated repair$40 to $250.
Look up another code
P0013 — frequently asked
What does a P0013 code mean?
The exhaust camshaft phaser solenoid circuit on bank 1 has a fault.
What causes a P0013 code?
Common causes: Failed exhaust cam OCV; Wiring/connector; Sludged oil.
What are the symptoms of a P0013 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Rough idle; Loss of power; Reduced MPG.
Is it safe to drive with a P0013 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: $80-$500.
How do I diagnose a P0013 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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