P0016: Crankshaft and camshaft position correlation (bank 1, sensor A)

What does it mean?

System

Powertrain (engine and transmission)

Subsystem

Fuel and air metering, camshaft timing

Type of code

Generic code: means the same on every make.

How urgent?

Do not drive further than you need to: carrying on can damage the engine, the catalyst or other parts. If the engine light is flashing, stop safely as soon as you can.

Possible causes

• Cam phaser or control valve (often dirty oil)
• Stretched timing chain or jumped belt
• Sensor or connector
• Low oil level or the wrong oil

Tip: don’t just clear the code. Clearing a code doesn’t fix the cause. It often comes back, and the stored data that helps us find the cause is then gone.