P0369

P0369 means the Camshaft Position Sensor B circuit is signaling intermittently — the secondary CMP sensor (usually on bank 2 of a dual-bank V6/V8, or the exhaust cam on a DOHC engine with separate intake/exhaust CMPs) is dropping out, glitching, or losing its reference long enough for the PCM to flag a fault, then recovering. Sensor B is differentiated from Sensor A in the SAE J2012 standard by bank or by intake-vs-exhaust assignment depending on platform; consult the FSM cam-sensor diagram before assuming which physical sensor the code points at. Cheapest-first ladder: scan live data and watch the cam-position correlation between bank 1 and bank 2 — should track within 1 to 3 crank degrees at any RPM. Wiggle-test the bank-2 (or sensor-B) CMP harness with the engine running and watch for sudden RPM dips, momentary stalls, or cam-correlation spikes above 5 degrees. Backprobe the CMP signal wire at the PCM connector with a scope: a healthy Hall-effect CMP produces a clean 0 to 5 V square wave with rising/falling edges sharper than 1 microsecond and a duty cycle determined by the trigger wheel shape (typically 50 percent on a single-tooth wheel, variable on a multi-tooth wheel). Dropouts to 0 V or noise above 5 V mean harness fault. Verify the 5 V reference and ground at the sensor connector with key-on (5 V on the supply pin, under 0.1 V on the ground pin). Resistance-check the signal wire from sensor to PCM (under 1 ohm) and isolation to chassis ground (over 1 megohm). Expensive misdiagnosis caveat: on Mopar 3.6 Pentastar V6 and GM LFX 3.6 V6, intermittent CMP-B codes are frequently the variable-valve-timing actuator solenoid sticking and pulling cam timing out of correlation — the sensor signal is fine but the cam is physically misphased; check VVT solenoid duty cycle and oil pressure to the cam phaser before condemning the sensor.

Vehicle-specific patterns: 2011-2020 Mopar 3.6L Pentastar V6 (Jeep Wrangler JK/JL, Grand Cherokee, Ram 1500, Charger, Challenger, Pacifica, Durango) is the most common P0369 vehicle — the rear-bank CMP sensor wiring runs along the back of the head where heat and oil leaks degrade the insulation, and the VVT phaser oil control valve clogs from delayed oil changes and pulls cam timing out of correlation. 2007-2014 Ford 3.5L/3.7L Cyclone V6 (Edge, Flex, Taurus, Explorer, F-150, MKZ, MKX, MKS) throws P0369 from the rear-bank intake cam sensor (sensor B by Ford's convention) failing intermittently when heat-soaked. 2008-2017 GM LFX/LLT 3.6L V6 (Camaro, CTS, Equinox, Acadia, Traverse, Enclave) throws P0369 from worn timing-chain guides letting the cam phase drift out of correlation as the chain stretches. 2011-2020 Hyundai/Kia Lambda II 3.3L/3.8L GDI (Genesis, Sonata, Optima, Cadenza, Telluride, Palisade) throws P0369 from oil-starvation damage to the cam phasers manifesting as cam-correlation errors. Estimated repair: $200 to $1,800.