P0346 Code: Camshaft Position Sensor A Range/Performance (Bank 2)
Bank 2's cam signal arrives out of position. On V6/V8s that often means a bank 2 chain, guide or phaser issue.
At a glance
Severity: Moderate
- Meaning
- Camshaft Position Sensor A Range/Performance (Bank 2)
- System
- Ignition & Misfire · Powertrain
- Safe to drive?
- With caution
- Typical repair cost
- $110–$4,000
- DIY difficulty
- Hard
Like P0341 on the other side, P0346 means a signal is present but lands at the wrong crank angle, this time from the intake cam on bank 2, the bank without cylinder 1. What makes it useful is the comparison it allows. Many V6 and V8 engines drive each cylinder head through its own chain run, secondary chain, tensioner and guides, and each bank has its own phaser and oil control valve. If only bank 2 is out of position while bank 1 is fine, the problem is almost certainly in bank 2's own hardware rather than the primary chain or the crank sensor, which both banks share. If both banks are off by a similar amount, suspect the primary chain instead.
Can I keep driving? Usually drivable in the short term, but a worn tensioner or broken guide on one bank can let a chain jump and damage valves. Keep rpm moderate, listen for new rattles, and get it diagnosed soon rather than waiting.
How to read P0346
- P Powertrain
- 0 Generic (SAE)
- 3 Ignition / misfire
- 46 Specific fault
Symptoms
- Check-engine light, often with a bank 2 cam/crank correlation code
- Rattle or slap from one side of the engine at cold start
- Reduced power and uneven idle as bank 2 phasing is disabled
- Longer cranking on some engines
- Metal particles or guide fragments found in the oil pan or filter on inspection
Possible causes
Ranked by how often each cause is behind this code (editorial estimate).
- Worn bank 2 secondary chain, tensioner or guide shifting bank 2 cam timing
- Bank 2 cam phaser sticking or its oil control valve screen clogged
- Primary timing chain stretch (usually shows on both banks)
- Bank 2 camshaft timed a tooth off after a previous repair
- Oil-contaminated connector or debris on the bank 2 sensor tip
- Damaged or loose target wheel on the bank 2 intake cam
- Faulty bank 2 cam sensor giving erratic edges
Diagnosis step by step
Compare bank 1 and bank 2 cam angle at base position
At warm idle both intake phasers are normally at their parked position. On a scan tool, compare actual cam angle for both banks. Bank 1 near zero and bank 2 several degrees off points to bank 2's chain, guide or tensioner; both banks off by a similar amount points to the primary chain.
Tools: OBD-II scanner
Check oil level, quality and the bank 2 oil control valve
Correct any low or badly overdue oil first. Many oil control valves have a fine screen; pull the bank 2 valve if accessible and look for sludge or debris. Commanding the phaser with a bi-directional scan tool and watching the actual angle follow shows whether it responds.
Tools: OBD-II scanner, Screwdriver
Listen and look for chain wear on bank 2
Listen with a mechanic's stethoscope or a long screwdriver at the front of each head at cold start. A louder rattle on bank 2 supports a tired tensioner there. Drain the oil and cut open the filter if needed; pieces of plastic guide are a warning sign that a chain can jump.
Tools: Screwdriver, Flashlight
Inspect the bank 2 sensor and connector
Remove the sensor, clean any sludge or metal from the tip, check the O-ring and look for oil in the connector. A contaminated or cracked sensor should be replaced, but don't expect a sensor alone to fix a real timing offset.
Tools: Flashlight, Screwdriver
Verify timing mechanically
If the data show a steady offset on bank 2, remove the covers as the engine requires and check the timing marks for that bank against the service procedure. Replace the worn chain, guides and tensioner on that bank, and on high-mileage engines consider the complete timing set since the parts are already exposed.
Tools: Torque wrench, Flashlight
Where the parts are
- 1Ignition coil
- 2Spark plug
- 3Fuel injector
- 4Camshaft sensor
- 5Crankshaft sensor
- 6Engine computer (ECM)
- 7Intake manifold
Repair options & costs
| Repair | DIY? | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Clean or replace bank 2 oil control valve and change oil | Yes | $150–$450 |
| Replace bank 2 cam sensor | Yes | $110–$350 |
| Replace bank 2 cam phaser | No | $600–$1,600 |
| Replace bank 2 secondary chain, guides and tensioner | No | $900–$2,200 |
| Complete timing chain set on a V6 or V8 | No | $1,500–$4,000 |
Rough US estimates for parts and labor; shop rates vary by region. Not a quote.
Notes by brand
Chevrolet
GM's 3.6L V6 in vehicles such as the Equinox, Traverse, Malibu and Camaro is well known for timing chain stretch. It typically shows up as cam/crank correlation codes on one or both banks, and the cure is a timing chain set, not a cam sensor.
Ford
Ford's 5.4L 3-valve V8 in the F-150 and Expedition is known for cam phaser, tensioner and guide wear that causes ticking or knocking at idle and cam timing codes on either bank. Oil condition and correct viscosity matter a lot on this engine.
Field data
| Ford | 2 | Escape | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai | 2 | Santa Fe, Veracruz |
Source: NHTSA Complaints API (US government open data), analyzed by DTC mention.
Emissions / smog test impact
Will fail
A stored P0346 with the check-engine light on fails a state OBD emissions test. If the cause is chain wear, replacing only the sensor will not keep the light off long enough to pass.
Frequently asked questions
Why would only one bank have a range problem?
Because on many V engines each bank has its own chain run, tensioner, guides and phaser. A tensioner that loses pressure or a guide that breaks affects only that head, so its cam drifts while the other bank stays correct.
How do I tell a primary chain from a bank 2 chain problem?
Compare the cam angle data at idle. A shared primary chain shifts both banks in the same direction by a similar amount. An offset on bank 2 alone points to parts that only drive bank 2.
Is it worth replacing just the bank 2 parts?
On a lower-mileage engine with a clear single-bank fault, sometimes. On a high-mileage engine, the other bank's parts and the primary chain are usually worn too, and much of the labor is shared, so a complete set is often the better value.
Could it still just be the sensor?
It can be if the sensor is oil-soaked, cracked or the wrong part, or if its tip is covered in debris. But this code is about when the signal arrives, so if cam angle data show a steady offset, the mechanical timing is the real issue.