What P0013 Means

P0013 — “B Camshaft Position Actuator (VVT) Control Circuit/Open (Bank 1, Exhaust)”

• Bank 1 = the side of the engine with cylinder #1 (on an inline engine there’s only one bank).
  
  

• “B camshaft” = typically the exhaust cam (A = intake, B = exhaust on most manufacturers).
  
  

• Control circuit/open = the ECU/PCM detects an electrical fault in the exhaust cam oil control valve (OCV/VVT solenoid) circuit (open circuit, short to ground/B+, or abnormal current), not necessarily a mechanical timing problem.
  
  

Typical symptoms

• Check Engine Light (CEL).
  
  

• May run normally or show slightly rough idle, poor fuel economy, weak performance at certain RPM.
  
  

• Usually no rattling or timing noise (that’s more common with mechanical/phasing faults like P0014).
  
  

How the circuit works (typical)

Most setups use a 2-pin OCV (VVT solenoid):

• Pin 1: Fused IGN/B+ (12–14 V) with key ON.
  
  

• Pin 2: ECU control (low-side driver) — the ECU pulses this line to ground (PWM) to meter oil flow to the cam phaser.
  
  

A few makes use a high-side driver or 3-wire smart actuators, but the 2-pin low-side is by far the most common.

Common trouble areas

1. OCV/VVT solenoid coil open or shorted (very common).
   
   

2. Wiring harness damage near the valve cover (heat/oil), rubbed through, or rodent damage.
   
   

3. Connector issues: bent/pushed-out terminals, corrosion, oil wicking into pins.
   
   

4. Blown fuse/relay feeding the OCV (shared with other engine devices on some cars).
   
   

5. ECU driver failure (rare; check everything else first).
   
   

6. Wrong oil viscosity/sludge can cause performance codes; P0013 is an electrical code, but poor oil can confuse diagnosis if multiple VVT codes are present.
   
   

“Common” wiring diagram (typical 2-pin OCV, low-side drive)

      (Battery)

          +

          | 

       [IGN FUSE / EFI RELAY]

          |

          |  12–14 V with IGN ON

          |-----------------------------+

                                        |

                                   [OCV / VVT SOLENOID]

                                   |                 |

                                  Pin 1            Pin 2

                                   |                 |

                                   +-----------------+-------> To ECU (VVT EXH CTRL)

                                                       (ECU pulses to GND; PWM)

                                                        |

                                                       [ECU/PCM]

                                                        |

                                                       Chassis Ground

If your vehicle uses a high-side driver: Pin 2 may be ground and the ECU supplies PWM power to Pin 1. Always confirm with the service manual if available.

Tools you’ll need

• Pro-level scan tool with live data & bi-directional control (to command OCV ON/OFF).
  
  

• Digital multimeter (DMM) and, ideally, a test light.
  
  

• Oscilloscope (optional but excellent for seeing PWM).
  
  

• Basic hand tools, contact cleaner, dielectric grease.
  
  

• Service info for your specific connector pinout (if available).
  
  

Typical specs (guidance)

• OCV coil resistance (across the two pins, 20 °C): ~6–14 Ω is typical.
  
  

  • ∞ (open) → bad coil/open harness.
    
    

  • < ~2–3 Ω (shorted) → internal short or harness short.
    
    

• Supply voltage at OCV Pin 1 with IGN ON: battery voltage (12–14 V).
  
  

• Voltage drop on grounds/power under load: aim for < 0.2 V.
  
  

Step-by-step troubleshooting (electrical first)

Follow this sequence to avoid unnecessary parts replacement:

1. Confirm the code & capture freeze frame
   
   

   • Record engine speed, coolant temp, vehicle speed, and if the code set at start-up or while driving.
     
     

   • Clear codes, but only after recording data.
     
     

2. Quick oil check
   
   

   • Verify correct oil level and viscosity. If oil is filthy/sludged, plan an oil & filter change. (This alone won’t fix an electrical open, but it prevents mixed-cause headaches and other VVT codes.)
     
     

3. Visual inspection
   
   

   • Locate the exhaust OCV (usually on/near the timing cover or cylinder head, exhaust side).
     
     

   • Check harness routing, look for chafing, melted insulation, oil-soaked connectors, and pulled-out terminals.
     
     

   • Gently tug each wire at the connector—any stretchy feel suggests broken strands inside the insulation.
     
     

4. Coil resistance test (KOEO)
   
   

   • Key OFF, disconnect OCV. Measure resistance across the two OCV pins.
     
     

   • Out of range (∞ or very low) → Replace the OCV (fit new O-ring; see notes below).
     
     

   • If OK, proceed.
     
     

5. Power feed check (KOEO)
   
   

   • With OCV disconnected, back-probe Pin 1 (supply). You should see battery voltage.
     
     

   • No voltage → check the fuse/relay, shared circuits, and wiring from fuse box to OCV.
     
     

     • Load-test the circuit with a test light; a meter can read 12 V through a high-resistance fault that won’t carry current.
       
       

6. ECU control (low-side) check
   
   

   • Reconnect the OCV. Back-probe Pin 2 (ECU control).
     
     

   • Using the scan tool, command the exhaust OCV ON at idle (bi-directional control).
     
     

   • Connect a test light from B+ to Pin 2:
     
     

     • When commanded ON, the ECU should ground the circuit → test light flashes or glows (PWM).
       
       

     • No light (but you’re sure you have B+ and the command is active) → possible open in control wire or ECU driver fault.
       
       

   • If available, use an oscilloscope on Pin 2 to see PWM duty cycle change when commanded.
     
     

7. Wiggle & continuity tests (if control fails)
   
   

   • KOEO, connector unplugged, check continuity from OCV Pin 2 to the ECU’s corresponding pin (consult wiring if available).
     
     

   • >1 Ω or intermittent continuity when harness is wiggled → repair the harness/terminal.
     
     

   • Check for short-to-ground and short-to-B+ on the control wire (resistance to ground/power with OCV disconnected).
     
     

8. Actuator functional check (bench)
   
   

   • With the OCV removed, momentarily apply 12 V and ground to the two pins (observe polarity per OE if specified).
     
     

   • You should feel/hear a solid click and see the spool move (if removable screen—inspect/clean).
     
     

   • No click → replace OCV.
     
     

9. ECU driver check (last)
   
   

   • If OCV coil is in-spec, power feed is good, wiring/continuity is good, and the ECU fails to pull the control line low when commanded → suspect ECU driver.
     
     

   • Before condemning the ECU, re-verify power/grounds to ECU and check for TSBs for your model.
     
     

10. After repair
    
    

• Clear codes. Perform a drive cycle: warm up, idle 2–3 min, 1500–3000 rpm hold, light acceleration/decel. Re-scan for codes and verify VVT desired vs. actual (if your scan tool shows cam phase data).
  
  

Quick decision tree

• OCV coil open/short?
  
  

  • Yes → Replace OCV → Clear codes → Drive cycle → OK.
    
    

  • No → Continue.
    
    

• B+ present at OCV Pin 1 (KOEO)?
  
  

  • No → Check fuse/relay/wiring → Repair → Re-test.
    
    

  • Yes → Continue.
    
    

• ECU pulling control to ground when commanded?
  
  

  • Yes → Electrical control OK → If code persists, check connectors/voltage drop under load; rarely ECU logic.
    
    

  • No → Check continuity OCV Pin 2 ↔ ECU pin; shorts to GND/B+; if wiring OK → ECU driver suspect.
    
    

Mechanic’s tips

• Measure under load. A corroded splice can pass meter voltage but fail under a test light.
  
  

• Terminal tension matters. Loose female terminals are a frequent cause; use a terminal probe to check grip.
  
  

• Don’t mix up Intake vs Exhaust OCVs. Some engines have two; make sure you’re on the exhaust one for P0013.
  
  

• Don’t shotgun the cam sensor. P0013 is an actuator circuit fault, not a cam sensor code.
  
  

• If you replace the OCV, oil the new O-ring lightly, torque the hold-down bolt typically around 7–12 N·m (varies by model), and route the harness away from hot edges.
  
  

Related/companion codes (for context)

• P0010 = Intake (A) cam actuator circuit (Bank 1)
  
  

• P0011/P0012 = Intake cam performance/position (over-advanced/retarded)
  
  

• P0014/P0015 = Exhaust cam performance/position (over-advanced/retarded)
  
  

• If you have P0013 together with P0014/P0015, fix the electrical fault first, then re-evaluate cam performance.