EN

Severity: Low Code type: Generic (all makes)

P0075 Code: Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit (Bank 1)

The intake cam timing solenoid on bank 1 has an open, short or bad driver circuit, so cam timing is frozen.

At a glance

Severity: 2/5 – Low2/5

Severity: Low

Meaning
Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit (Bank 1)
System
Fuel & Air Metering · Powertrain
Safe to drive?
Yes, short term
Typical repair cost
$30–$1,300
DIY difficulty
Moderate

P0075 is set when the engine computer drives the bank 1 intake valve timing control solenoid (the oil control valve that feeds the intake cam phaser) and the current or voltage on that circuit is not what it should be. It is an electrical code: the computer sees an open coil, a short, or a driver that can't pull the circuit down, not a cam that is out of position. Nissan and Infiniti use this number most, on four-cylinder QR and MR engines and on the VQ V6, while many other makes log the same fault as P0010. With the solenoid dead, the phaser stays parked at its base position, so the engine runs with fixed intake timing: it idles and drives, but low-end pull and fuel economy suffer.

Can I keep driving? You can keep driving; the engine simply loses variable intake timing. Expect weaker response below about 3,000 rpm and slightly higher fuel use, and get it fixed before an emissions test.

How to read P0075

How to read P0075P10203754
  1. P Powertrain
  2. 0 Generic (SAE)
  3. 0 Fuel/air & emissions (aux.)
  4. 75 Specific fault

Symptoms

  • Check engine light with no obvious drivability change at first
  • Sluggish pickup from a stop and when climbing hills at low rpm
  • Idle a little lumpy or lower than normal when warm
  • Fuel economy down a mile or two per gallon
  • Companion cam timing code (P0011 or P0014) after a few drive cycles

Possible causes

Ranked by how often each cause is behind this code (editorial estimate).

  1. Solenoid coil open or shorted internally (resistance outside spec) 35%
  2. Connector at the solenoid loose, corroded or filled with oil from a leaking cover gasket 25%
  3. Broken or chafed wire between the solenoid and the engine computer, often where the harness bends over the timing cover 18%
  4. Lost power feed to the solenoid (fuse or ECM relay circuit) 12%
  5. Failed driver transistor inside the engine computer 6%
  6. Wrong or incompatible aftermarket solenoid with a different coil resistance 4%

Diagnosis step by step

Diagnostic flow: P00751Confirm it's a circuit fault2Locate the bank 1 solenoid3Measure coil resistance4Check the power feed5Test the control wire andbench-click the valve6Command it with a scan tool afterrepair

  1. Confirm it's a circuit fault

    Read freeze frame and check whether P0075 is the only code or it sits with P0011/P0014. A circuit code alone points to wiring or the coil; a timing code alone points to oil or the phaser. Clear the code and see if it returns immediately at key on or engine start, which is typical of an open coil.

    Tools: OBD-II scanner

  2. Locate the bank 1 solenoid

    On Nissan four-cylinders it screws into the front of the cylinder head or upper timing cover near the intake cam. On transverse VQ V6 engines bank 1 is the rear bank near the firewall, so the bank 1 solenoid is the one closer to the cowl at the timing-chain end of the engine.

    Tools: Flashlight

  3. Measure coil resistance

    Unplug the solenoid and measure across its two pins. Most Nissan intake timing solenoids read roughly 7 to 8 ohms at 68 °F; infinite means an open coil, near zero means a shorted winding. Check each pin to the solenoid body too: any continuity to ground condemns it.

    Tools: Multimeter

  4. Check the power feed

    With the key on and the connector unplugged, one harness pin should show battery voltage (about 12 V) from the ECM relay circuit. No voltage means a fuse, relay or feed-wire problem that will also affect other sensors on the same feed.

    Tools: Multimeter

  5. Test the control wire and bench-click the valve

    Check continuity from the control pin to the ECM connector (under 1 ohm) and no short to ground. Briefly jumping 12 V across a removed solenoid should give a crisp click and move the spool; a sticky spool is a replacement anyway.

    Tools: Multimeter, Pliers

  6. Command it with a scan tool after repair

    An enhanced scan tool can command intake valve timing in Active Test. With the engine idling, commanding the solenoid should make the idle stumble or change, and the target and actual cam angle should track each other on a test drive.

    Tools: OBD-II scanner

Where the parts are

Ignition: coils and spark plugs per cylinder – P00751234567
Ignition: coils and spark plugs per cylinder
  1. 1Ignition coil
  2. 2Spark plug
  3. 3Fuel injector
  4. 4Camshaft sensor
  5. 5Crankshaft sensor
  6. 6Engine computer (ECM)
  7. 7Intake manifold

Repair options & costs

RepairDIY?Estimated cost
Clean connector and seal oil leak at the solenoid Yes $40–$250
Replace intake valve timing control solenoid (bank 1) Yes $120–$350
Repair harness between solenoid and engine computer No $100–$400
Repair power feed (fuse, ECM relay circuit) No $30–$200
Replace or repair the engine computer driver No $500–$1,300

Rough US estimates for parts and labor; shop rates vary by region. Not a quote.

Notes by brand

Nissan

Nissan uses P0075 on engines such as the QR25DE, MR20DE and VQ35DE. On the QR25DE the solenoid sits at the front of the head right beside the intake cam sprocket and is easy to reach from above; on transverse VQ engines the bank 1 unit is the harder-to-reach one near the firewall.

Emissions / smog test impact

Will fail

The check engine light is on for P0075, so an OBD-based state emissions test will fail until the circuit is repaired and the light has stayed off with the monitors ready again.

Frequently asked questions

Is P0075 the same as P0011?

No. P0075 says the solenoid's electrical circuit is faulty. P0011 says the intake cam isn't where the computer wants it, which is usually oil, sludge or a sticking phaser. If you have both, fix the circuit first and see whether P0011 comes back.

Can low oil cause P0075?

Not directly, because the code is triggered by the electrical side. Low or dirty oil causes timing codes instead. That said, an oil leak soaking the solenoid connector is a common way for the circuit to fail.

Why does my scanner say P0075 when my car isn't a Nissan?

The code is a standard SAE definition, so any make can use it. Some Asian and domestic makes use it for their intake oil control valve, while many others report the same failure as P0010.

Will a new solenoid fix it for sure?

Only if the coil measured out of spec. If the solenoid reads 7 to 8 ohms and the power feed is present, the problem is in the harness or the computer, and a new solenoid will set the same code right away.

Sources