OBD-II Code · Timing
P0017
Crankshaft/Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 1 Exhaust)
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.
Bank 1 exhaust cam timing 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
- Power loss
- Rough idle
Likely causes
- Timing chain stretchMost common
- VVT issue
- Failed cam phaser
Read the full diagnostic procedureBank 1 Sensor B (exhaust cam) — Crank-to-Cam correlation fault on the exhaust side of bank 1.
Bank 1 Sensor B (exhaust cam) — Crank-to-Cam correlation fault on the exhaust side of bank 1. Same root-cause family as P0016, but the exhaust cam phaser/sensor is the disagreeing party. On dual-VVT engines, P0017 often pairs with P0016 when the chain has stretched because both cams on the bank lag the crank. P0017 ALONE (without P0016) more often points to a failed exhaust OCV or exhaust cam sensor than chain stretch.
Cheapest-first ladder
- Check for paired P0016 codes — if both set together, suspect chain. If only P0017, suspect exhaust-side hardware.
- Live-data exhaust cam correlation across rpm range — rpm-dependent drift = chain, fixed offset = sensor or phaser stuck.
- Swap exhaust OCV with known good.
- Inspect exhaust cam sensor and reluctor — metal debris on the sensor tip from clutch dust or oil contamination throws this code.
- Pull the valve cover, check tensioner extension. Don't replace the timing chain on a lone P0017 — verify the chain is actually stretched with a tensioner-position measurement or visual chain-slack check first.
Vehicle-specific patterns2010-2014 Hyundai Sonata/Optima 2.4L Theta II GDI — known exhaust OCV failure and chain wear, P0017 often the first warning code before P0016 joins.
- 2010-2014Hyundai Sonata/Optima 2.4L Theta II GDI — known exhaust OCV failure and chain wear, P0017 often the first warning code before P0016 joins.
- 2011-2016Ford F-150 5.0L Coyote — exhaust phaser lock-pin failure on bank 1, replace phaser.
- 2008-2013VW/Audi 2.0T TSI — exhaust cam adjuster (the bolted-on phaser) internal spring fails.
- 2007-2012BMW N52/N54 — exhaust VANOS solenoid carbon buildup, clean in ultrasonic bath or replace, $180-$400 per solenoid.
Estimated repair$90 to $3,200.
Look up another code
P0017 — frequently asked
What does a P0017 code mean?
Bank 1 exhaust cam timing fault.
What causes a P0017 code?
Common causes: Timing chain stretch; VVT issue; Failed cam phaser.
What are the symptoms of a P0017 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Power loss; Rough idle.
Is it safe to drive with a P0017 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 P0017 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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