P0013
- Powertrain
- Generic (SAE)
- Emissions
Diagnose soon
The module normally defaults the affected camshaft to a fixed safe position, so the engine runs but loses the efficiency and power the variable timing provides. It will fail emissions and driveability suffers, but nothing is being damaged. It is not a safety issue on its own.
- Safe to drive
- Usually drivable with reduced power and economy. Repair before an emissions test, and sooner if the engine idles roughly or stalls.
"B" Camshaft Position Actuator Circuit (Bank 1)
This is an electrical fault in the circuit that controls the bank 1 exhaust camshaft timing solenoid. The computer sees the circuit as open, shorted, or not responding, and says nothing about oil, mechanical timing, or whether the camshaft actually moves.
The module drives the exhaust camshaft position actuator solenoid through a switched circuit and monitors that circuit for expected current flow and voltage behaviour. P0013 sets when the monitored feedback does not match the commanded state, indicating an open circuit, a short to ground, a short to voltage, or an out-of-range load. It is a circuit integrity code, distinct from the performance codes P0014 and P0015, which report that the camshaft failed to reach a commanded position.
How the car detected itThe driver circuit is monitored whenever the module has the output enabled, and for several fault types only while the solenoid is actually being commanded. That makes it a fast-setting code — it usually appears on the first drive after the fault occurs rather than needing a special enabling window, though it will not necessarily set at key-on with the engine off. Because it tests the electrical path rather than the mechanical result, it can set on an engine whose oil, phaser, and timing chain are all perfect. The letter B refers to the exhaust camshaft on most dual-overhead-cam engines.
A trouble code records what a control module measured. It does not identify which part failed. Test before replacing anything.
- Safe to drive
- Usually drivable with reduced power and economy. Repair before an emissions test, and sooner if the engine idles roughly or stalls.
- Urgency
- Diagnose soon
- Will it pass emissions
- No
- If ignored
- The camshaft stays at its default position, so the engine loses low-end torque or mid-range power depending on where it defaults, uses more fuel, and produces higher emissions. The vehicle will fail testing. The fault itself is electrical and will not spread mechanically, but a connector filling with oil will eventually wick oil further up the harness toward the module.
- Check engine light
- Solid
- Clearing the light
- A completed drive cycle is normally required before the monitor re-runs and the light can clear.
- Power loss especially in mid-rpm range
- Possible rough idle or stalling
- Increased fuel consumption
Many vehicles show no symptom at all beyond the warning light. The absence of a symptom does not mean the fault is not real.
These are the causes this code can have. For the order to work through them in, see what to check first.
| # | Cause | How often | Component |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oil control valve electrically failed | Very common | — |
| 2 | Wiring or connector fault | Common | — |
Ordering reflects how often each cause is responsible in general, not a probability for your vehicle. Confirm by testing.
In order. Each of these is cheaper or faster than what follows it, and each one can make the rest unnecessary.
The solenoid connector, unplugged and inspected inside
Oil wicking into the connector from a leaking solenoid seal is one of the most common causes and is visible immediately. Free to check and it explains intermittent behaviour.
Harness routing and chafe points near the solenoid
These harnesses run over hot, moving engine surfaces. A rubbed-through wire shorting against the head is a cheap repair and easy to spot with a flashlight.
Solenoid winding resistance, compared against the other bank if the engine has one
A quick meter check separates a failed solenoid from a wiring fault before anything is removed. Comparing banks gives you a reference when service data is not to hand.
Whether performance codes such as P0014 or P0015 are also stored
A circuit code alone is an electrical repair. A circuit code alongside performance codes usually means the electrical fault is the root cause of both, and the performance codes should clear on their own once it is fixed.
Recent service work in the area
A connector left unlatched or a harness pinched during a recent repair is common and costs nothing to rule out.
Record all codes and freeze frame, then note whether the fault is current or intermittent
Tools Scan tool
Clear the codes and see whether P0013 returns immediately on a restart. A code that comes straight back is testable now; one that takes days needs a wiggle test or a recorded capture. Note that several driver-circuit fault types only reveal themselves while the solenoid is actually being commanded, so a key-on check alone may not reproduce it.
ExpectedA clear answer on whether the fault is present now or intermittent, which decides whether you test live or set up a wiggle test
Inspect the solenoid connector and harness thoroughly
Tools Flashlight, pick set, contact cleaner
Unplug and look inside both halves for oil, corrosion, spread terminals, and pushed-back pins. Follow the harness back looking for chafe, heat damage, and pinch points. Oil inside the connector is a finding, not a nuisance.
ExpectedClean, dry, tight terminals with full latching
Measure solenoid winding resistance
Tools Digital multimeter
Measure across the two solenoid terminals with the connector unplugged. The correct value varies by engine and comes from service data. An open reading or a near-zero reading is a failed winding. If the engine has a matching solenoid on the other bank, comparing the two is a practical reference.
ExpectedA stable reading matching the service-data figure, or closely matching the matching solenoid on the other bank. Open or near-zero condemns the winding; anything between needs the service-data number to judge.
Verify the power feed to the solenoid
Tools Multimeter, factory wiring diagram
With the connector unplugged and the key on, check for the expected supply on the feed side. Missing supply points at a fuse, a relay, or an open in the feed wire rather than at the solenoid. Which side is fed and which is switched varies by make, so use the wiring diagram.
ExpectedFull system voltage on the supply side with the key on
Confirm the module is actually switching the control side
Tools Scan tool with bidirectional control, lab scope or multimeter
Command the solenoid on and off with a scan tool while watching the control wire with a meter or scope. If the module never switches, look at the module and its supplies. If it switches correctly into an open circuit, the fault is downstream.
ExpectedClean switching of the control circuit that follows the command
Test the solenoid off the vehicle
Tools Fused jumper leads, hand tools
Apply a fused supply directly to the removed solenoid and confirm it clicks and moves the spool through its full travel. A solenoid that passes a resistance check can still be mechanically stuck.
ExpectedAudible actuation and full spool travel when energized, full return when released
Wiggle test the harness while monitoring
Tools Scan tool, or scope with recording
With the circuit live and the scan tool watching, move the harness along its length and flex the connector. An intermittent open will show as a momentary dropout and pinpoints the damaged section.
ExpectedNo dropouts anywhere along the harness
Clear and verify over a drive cycle
Tools Scan tool with data logging
After repair, confirm the code does not return and that commanded and actual cam angle now track each other, which proves the mechanical side was fine all along.
ExpectedNo return of P0013, cam angle follows command
| Repair | Only after you confirm | Typical cost | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repair or replace an oil-contaminated or corroded connector and clean the terminals | Oil, corrosion, or spread terminals found inside the connector, with a good solenoid and intact wiring | $120–$400 | DIY |
| Repair chafed, shorted, or open wiring in the solenoid circuit | Continuity or short located by testing, or a dropout that follows harness movement during a wiggle test | $120–$500 | DIY |
| Replace the bank 1 exhaust camshaft position actuator solenoid | Winding resistance out of specification or open, or the solenoid failing to actuate when energized directly on the bench with good wiring | $150–$500 | DIY |
| Replace a failed fuse or relay in the solenoid supply circuit | No supply voltage at the solenoid connector with the key on, traced back to the failed device | $60–$250 | DIY |
| Repair or replace the engine control module driver circuit | Module fails to switch the control circuit when commanded, with confirmed good supplies, grounds, and downstream wiring | $900–$2,600 | Shop |
The solenoid part itself is often modest, and almost all the variation is access. Some are one bolt at the front of the cylinder head; others require removing an intake manifold or timing cover. Ranges are US independent-shop, parts plus labor.
- Treating this as an oil or phaser problem. P0013 is a circuit code and can set on a mechanically perfect engine.
- Replacing the solenoid without inspecting the connector, when oil intrusion into the connector is a leading cause and will contaminate the new part too.
- Measuring resistance with the connector still plugged in, which reads the whole circuit rather than the solenoid.
- Assuming the code must appear at key-on. Several driver-circuit faults only show up while the solenoid is being commanded, so a static check can miss a real fault.
- Assuming a specific resistance value from another vehicle. The correct value varies by engine.
- Ignoring a chafed wire because the code cleared once, when an intermittent short will return under vibration and heat.
- Confusing the A and B solenoids, or the two banks, and replacing the wrong part.
- Camshaft Position Actuator
- Oil Control Valve
- Definition
- Generic code set (SAE J2012 / ISO 15031-6) via the OBDexopen database, dedicated to the public domain under CC0-1.0.
- Diagnostic guidance
- Written and reviewed in-house. See our editorial policy.
- Review status
- Reviewed
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