OBD-II Code · Timing
P0020
Camshaft Position Actuator Circuit (Bank 2)
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)
$150–$600
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
Bank 2 intake VVT solenoid circuit 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
- Poor performance
Likely causes
- Failed VVT solenoidMost common
- Wiring
Read the full diagnostic procedureBank 2 intake camshaft position actuator (OCV) circuit fault.
Bank 2 intake camshaft position actuator (OCV) circuit fault. Electrical-only code, mirror of P0010 on bank 2.
Cheapest-first ladder
- Ohm the bank 2 intake OCV solenoid — 6.9-7.9 ohms on most Asian engines, 10-15 on Ford.
- Verify battery voltage and PCM PWM signal at the connector.
- Pull the OCV and clean the inlet screen — bank 2 OCV screens collect varnish at the same rate as bank 1.
- Wiggle-test the harness — bank 2 wiring often runs under intake plenums and chafes against brackets. Don't replace the bank 2 cam phaser on a P0020 — this is a circuit code, the phaser is mechanically fine.
Vehicle-specific patterns2007-2016 Toyota Camry/Sienna/Highlander 2GR-FE V6 — bank 2 OCV is the rear cam at the firewall, harness routing causes pin fretting; clean terminals…
- 2007-2016Toyota Camry/Sienna/Highlander 2GR-FE V6 — bank 2 OCV is the rear cam at the firewall, harness routing causes pin fretting; clean terminals or repin.
- 2007-2013Nissan VQ35 (Altima, Maxima, Murano) — bank 2 OCV solenoid coil failure at 80-120k, replace solenoid.
- 2007-2014Honda Pilot/Odyssey J35 — rear bank VTC OCV connector water intrusion (cowl drain clog), reroute connector.
- 2008-2014Cadillac CTS 3.6L — bank 2 OCV harness chafe against cam cover.
Estimated repair$50 to $300.
Look up another code
P0020 — frequently asked
What does a P0020 code mean?
Bank 2 intake VVT solenoid circuit fault.
What causes a P0020 code?
Common causes: Failed VVT solenoid; Wiring.
What are the symptoms of a P0020 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Rough idle; Poor performance.
Is it safe to drive with a P0020 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: $150-$600.
How do I diagnose a P0020 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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