OBD-II Code · Timing
P0018
Crankshaft/Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 2 Sensor A)
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 2 intake cam correlation 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
Likely causes
- Timing chain stretch bank 2Most common
- VVT solenoid B
- Bad sensor
Read the full diagnostic procedureBank 2 Sensor A (intake cam) — Crank-to-Cam correlation fault on bank 2 intake.
Bank 2 Sensor A (intake cam) — Crank-to-Cam correlation fault on bank 2 intake. V6/V8 engines only (banks are defined by the cylinder containing #1 — bank 2 is the opposite bank). Same diagnostic logic as P0016 but on the other bank. On most V-engines, banks share one timing chain (or two chains driven from one crank gear), so if one bank's chain is stretched, the other bank often throws a correlation code shortly after.
Cheapest-first ladder
- Check for paired bank 1 codes (P0016/P0017) — paired codes across banks strongly suggest chain wear on a shared-chain engine.
- Live-data bank 2 intake cam correlation across rpm.
- Swap bank 2 intake OCV with bank 1 OCV — if the code moves to bank 1, the OCV is the issue, not the cam timing.
- Verify bank 2 cam sensor connector and air gap. Don't condemn the chain on a single-bank correlation code without confirming the chain stretch mechanically — many V6s throw single-bank codes from a stuck OCV or contaminated cam sensor.
Vehicle-specific patterns2007-2013 Nissan Altima/Maxima/Murano VQ35 — bank 2 secondary timing chain guide cracks, chain skips a tooth, P0018 with cold-start rattle; full bank…
- 2007-2013Nissan Altima/Maxima/Murano VQ35 — bank 2 secondary timing chain guide cracks, chain skips a tooth, P0018 with cold-start rattle; full bank 2 timing job is $1,400-$2,200.
- 2009-2014Audi 3.0T supercharged — same chain stretch story as P0016 but on the opposite bank.
- 2007-2014Toyota Tundra/Sequoia 5.7L 3UR-FE — bank 2 (passenger side) intake OCV failure, clean screen first.
- 2008-2013GM 3.6L LLT/LFX (CTS, Traverse, Acadia) — TSB 10-06-01-007 covers a known timing chain wear pattern that throws P0008/P0009/P0016/P0017/P0018/P0019 in combination; full job $2,800-$3,800.
Estimated repair$90 to $3,800.
Look up another code
P0018 — frequently asked
What does a P0018 code mean?
Bank 2 intake cam correlation fault.
What causes a P0018 code?
Common causes: Timing chain stretch bank 2; VVT solenoid B; Bad sensor.
What are the symptoms of a P0018 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Rough idle.
Is it safe to drive with a P0018 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 P0018 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.
More free tools