Fault codeP0341

SEVERE

Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance

What this code means

Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Range/Performance.

P0341 is a generic code: it means the same thing on every make. P0341 belongs to family P03xx — Ignition and misfire. Its page explains how to read a code and groups all its codes by part.

Type of fault

The signal stays within its electrical limits, but its value is not plausible: it does not match what the control unit expects given the other sensors. The sensor may be drifting with age, but it may also be faithfully measuring a real mechanical problem — a leak, a blockage, an air leak. Replacing the sensor without checking does not always clear the fault.

Camshaft position sensor

This sensor reads a target on the camshaft and tells the control unit where each cylinder is in its cycle. Combined with the crankshaft sensor, it lets the control unit fire each injector and spark at the right moment and, on engines with variable valve timing, measure the actual cam position.

What you notice

Starting may take longer, or the engine may not start at all on some models. Hesitation, jerking or a sudden stall can occur, and the control unit may switch to a degraded mode with reduced power.

How to check it

The sensor is usually held by a single screw on the cylinder head or timing cover. Check its connector, look for oil inside it (a leaking seal can wick oil into the wiring) and inspect the tip for metal debris. If the timing belt or chain has recently been replaced, a wrongly aligned timing can also trigger these codes.

Watch it live in Klaro

With an OBD2 adapter plugged in, these live readings show the part at work, when your car reports them:

Engine RPM
Timing advance

What to do

Have it checked promptly. A misfire sends unburnt fuel into the exhaust and destroys the catalytic converter within a few dozen kilometres. If the light is flashing, stop driving.

Clearing a code switches the light off but repairs nothing: if the fault remains, the code comes back. Clearing a fault code yourself →

How to read this code

PPowertrain
0standardised code
3Ignition and misfire
41P0341