OBD-II Code · Timing
P0021
Camshaft Position Timing Over-Advanced (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–$800
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
Bank 2 cam timing too advanced.
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
- Stuck VVT solenoidMost common
- Oil pressure issue
Read the full diagnostic procedureBank 2 intake camshaft mechanically OVER-ADVANCED.
Bank 2 intake camshaft mechanically OVER-ADVANCED. V6/V8 engines only. Same diagnostic family as P0011 but on bank 2.
Cheapest-first ladder
- Live-data commanded vs actual bank 2 intake cam angle — should track within 2-3 degrees; over-advance means the phaser won't release oil pressure on command.
- Verify oil weight matches OEM spec — wrong viscosity is the top P0021 cause.
- Clean bank 2 OCV inlet screen.
- Hot oil pressure test (minimum 10 psi idle, 40 psi at 2500 rpm).
- Swap bank 2 OCV with bank 1 OCV — if P0021 moves to bank 1 (becomes P0011), OCV is the culprit. Don't replace the bank 2 cam phaser before doing oil change with correct viscosity, cleaning OCV, and pressure-testing — bank 2 phaser jobs on V-engines are 6-8 hours of labor because the cabin-side cam is buried under the intake plenum and often the cowl.
Vehicle-specific patterns2004-2010 Ford F-150/Expedition 5.4L 3V Triton — bank 2 (passenger side) cam phaser failure, almost always paired with P0011 or P0014, full 4-phaser…
- 2004-2010Ford F-150/Expedition 5.4L 3V Triton — bank 2 (passenger side) cam phaser failure, almost always paired with P0011 or P0014, full 4-phaser kit replacement is the only fix at $1,800-$2,600.
- 2007-2016Toyota Camry/Highlander/Sienna 2GR-FE — bank 2 OCV screen clog, TSB EG053-08 cleaning procedure.
- 2008-2014Honda Pilot/Ridgeline/Odyssey J35 — rear-bank VTC actuator wear, paired with P0011 typically.
- 2007-2013Nissan VQ35 — bank 2 secondary chain guide failure can present as P0021 instead of P0018, inspect chain before condemning phaser.
- 2008-2013GM 3.6L LLT — VVT solenoid failure with TSB PIC5446.
Estimated repair$60 to $2,800.
Look up another code
P0021 — frequently asked
What does a P0021 code mean?
Bank 2 cam timing too advanced.
What causes a P0021 code?
Common causes: Stuck VVT solenoid; Oil pressure issue.
What are the symptoms of a P0021 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light; Rough idle.
Is it safe to drive with a P0021 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-$800.
How do I diagnose a P0021 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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