P0014 means Exhaust Camshaft Position Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance (Bank 1). The bank 1 exhaust camshaft is more advanced than commanded, or is not responding correctly to the timing solenoid. It is a generic OBD-II code, so the definition is the same on any make, but the most likely cause varies by engine; confirm with a scan tool and the service information for your vehicle before buying parts.
What P0014 means
The engine computer uses the crankshaft position sensor to know engine speed and piston position, and the camshaft sensors to know which stroke each cylinder is on. On engines with variable valve timing, oil-driven cam phasers rotate the camshafts relative to the crankshaft under the control of solenoids. Timing codes come from a sensor that cannot be read, or from a measured cam angle that does not match the commanded one, so oil level and condition, sensor signals and mechanical timing all need checking.
P0014 symptoms
- Check engine light
- Rough idle or stalling
- Hard starting
- Poor fuel economy
Common causes of P0014
- Low or dirty oil, or the wrong viscosity
- Sticking exhaust cam timing solenoid or a blocked screen
- Worn or sticking exhaust cam phaser
- Stretched timing chain
How to diagnose P0014
- Check oil level and condition first, and confirm the oil viscosity matches the specification
- Compare desired and actual exhaust cam angle on a scan tool
- Test the exhaust timing solenoid and clean or replace its screen
- Check timing chain stretch if correlation codes are present
Can you drive with P0014?
Often drivable, but ignoring it can lead to stalling and timing component wear.
P0014 tips
P0014 is one of the most common variable valve timing codes. Start with an oil change using the exact viscosity specified, then clean or replace the exhaust timing solenoid and its screen. If the code returns quickly and there is a rattle at start-up, the phaser or chain is the likely cause.
Will P0014 clear itself?
If the fault stops, the computer turns off the check engine light by itself after several drive cycles without seeing it again, and the code stays in memory as history for a while. Clearing P0014 with a scan tool after a repair is fine, but if the cause is still there the code returns, sometimes within one drive. Disconnecting the battery also clears codes on most vehicles, but it erases learned fuel trims and idle settings as well.
Related codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| P0013 | Exhaust Camshaft Position Actuator Circuit (Bank 1) |
| P0011 | Intake Camshaft Position Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance (Bank 1) |
| P0017 | Crankshaft Position – Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 1 Sensor B) |
| P0012 | Intake Camshaft Position Timing Over-Retarded (Bank 1) |
Guides that help
- VVT solenoid
- timing chain and cam phaser symptoms
- low oil pressure
- lifter tick and AFM lifter failure
When it is more than a sensor
If a stretched chain has already jumped time and damaged valves, or low oil pressure has worn the engine, a repair can cost more than a replacement; see engine replacement cost and compare engines by code on our engines page.
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