Engine

P0349 — Camshaft Position Sensor A Circuit Intermittent (Bank 2)

Severity: medium Drive with care, to a shop

What P0349 means

The camshaft position sensor tells the engine computer where the camshaft is, so it can time fuel injection and spark correctly. P0349 sets when the bank 2 sensor A signal drops out, glitches or comes and goes. Bank 2 is the side without cylinder 1, so this code applies to V-type and flat engines.

Symptoms

  • Check engine light on
  • Rough or unstable idle
  • Hesitation or power loss when accelerating
  • Intermittent stalling
  • Sometimes long cranking or no start
  • Engine running in limp mode

Possible causes

  1. Intermittent open or short in the camshaft sensor wiring
  2. Corroded or loose sensor connector
  3. Failing bank 2 camshaft position sensor
  4. Oil-soaked or chafed harness near the engine
  5. Damaged tone ring or timing issue
  6. Rarely, a faulty PCM input circuit

How to diagnose

  1. Read all codes and freeze frame data to see when the fault occurred
  2. Inspect the bank 2 sensor connector and harness for corrosion, oil, chafing and tension
  3. Wiggle the harness and connector with the engine running and watch the sensor data or RPM
  4. Test sensor power, ground and signal wires with a multimeter or scope
  5. Compare the camshaft signal with the crankshaft signal on a scope
  6. Inspect the sensor and tone ring for damage or debris
  7. Verify timing marks and check for a stretched chain or belt
  8. Suspect the PCM only after everything else checks out

Common fixes

  • Repair wiring and replace damaged terminals or connectors
  • Replace the bank 2 camshaft position sensor
  • Correct tone ring or valve timing problems
  • Update software or replace the PCM once other causes are ruled out

Questions and answers

What does P0349 mean?

The PCM sees an unstable signal from camshaft position sensor A on bank 2. A poor connection, damaged wire or failing sensor is the usual cause.

Can I drive with P0349?

Only briefly and only to a repair shop. The engine could stall at any time and may not restart, so don't put off the repair.

Will replacing the sensor fix it?

Not always. Because the fault is intermittent, wiring and connectors are often to blame, so check them before buying a sensor.

This is general information about the code. The meaning can differ between makes and models: a scan tool and the repair manual for your car will show the exact cause.