OBD-II Code · Timing
P0016
Crankshaft/Camshaft Position Correlation
Severity
high
Left alone, this one tends to take other parts with it.
Can you drive it
Not for long
Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it.
Indicative cost (USD)
$200–$2,500
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
The crank and cam aren't timed correctly. Usually a timing chain stretch or VVT issue.
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
- Rattle on cold start
- Reduced power
- Hard starting
Likely causes
- Stretched timing chainMost common
- Failed VVT solenoid
- Low oil pressure affecting VVT
- Bad sensor
Read the full diagnostic procedureBank 1 Sensor A (intake cam) — Crankshaft Position to Camshaft Position correlation fault.
Bank 1 Sensor A (intake cam) — Crankshaft Position to Camshaft Position correlation fault. The PCM compares the crank trigger signal to the cam position signal every cycle; if they drift more than ~5-10 degrees out of mechanical relationship, P0016 sets. This is the TIMING CHAIN STRETCH code — the chain has elongated enough that the cam is lagging the crank by more positions than the cam phaser can compensate for. It can ALSO be: a failed OCV stuck partly engaged, a cam sensor reading the wrong reluctor tooth, or rarely a skipped chain tooth.
Cheapest-first ladder
- Live-data cam position correlation at idle, 2000 rpm, and 4000 rpm — if the offset grows with rpm, that's classic chain stretch.
- Pull the valve cover and visually inspect the chain guide for plastic debris in the oil pan and check the tensioner extension — a tensioner extended near max travel means chain has stretched.
- Clean the OCV screen and replace the OCV solenoid as a cheap rule-out before condemning the chain.
- Verify cam and crank sensor air gaps and reluctor wheel cleanliness. Don't authorize a $2,500 timing chain job until you've ruled out the OCV — but DO authorize it once chain stretch is confirmed, because a snapped chain on an interference engine totals the cylinder head.
Vehicle-specific patterns2008-2014 VW/Audi 2.0T TSI EA888 Gen 1 and Gen 2 (Jetta, Passat, GTI, A4, Q5) — the NOTORIOUS one.
- 2008-2014VW/Audi 2.0T TSI EA888 Gen 1 and Gen 2 (Jetta, Passat, GTI, A4, Q5) — the NOTORIOUS one. Timing chain tensioner has a ratcheting design that fails to hold, chain jumps a tooth on cold start and the engine eats valves. Updated tensioner part 06K109467K is required; full chain kit + labor is $1,800-$2,800 and MUST be done at first P0016 — do not drive it.
- 2009-2017Audi 3.0T supercharged V6 (S4, S5, A6, Q7) — secondary chain stretch between cams, $3,500-$5,500 job because the supercharger comes off.
- 2007-2011Mini Cooper R56 N14 — timing chain tensioner failure, death rattle, $1,500-$2,200.
- 2011-2018Hyundai Sonata/Optima/Santa Fe 2.4L Theta II GDI — chain wear at 80-110k, often paired with the engine recall short block.
- 2013-2018Ford Escape/Fusion 2.0L/2.3L EcoBoost — chain stretch at 100k+, P0016 with rattle on cold start.
Estimated repair$90 to $5,500.
Look up another code
P0016 — frequently asked
What does a P0016 code mean?
The crank and cam aren't timed correctly. Usually a timing chain stretch or VVT issue.
What causes a P0016 code?
Common causes: Stretched timing chain; Failed VVT solenoid; Low oil pressure affecting VVT; Bad sensor.
What are the symptoms of a P0016 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Rattle on cold start; Reduced power; Hard starting.
Is it safe to drive with a P0016 code?
Not for long. Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it. Estimated repair: $200-$2,500.
How do I diagnose a P0016 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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