P0022 code: Camshaft Position Timing Over-Retarded (Bank 2)
P0022 means camshaft Position Timing Over-Retarded (Bank 2). The code says where to look, not what failed — the fix depends on which cause your car actually has.
What P0022 means
P0022 is a timing-performance code: the intake camshaft on Bank 2 is lagging — more retarded than the computer commanded — and the computer cannot pull it back into position. Because Bank 2 only exists on V-type and flat engines, this code tells you the problem is on the bank opposite cylinder 1. The variable-timing system runs on oil pressure through small passages, so the most common and cheapest cause is oil: low level, wrong viscosity, or dirty oil clogging the solenoid screen. Next is a sticking oil-control solenoid or a worn cam phaser on that bank; a stretched timing chain is the serious, high-mileage cause. Since the other bank shares the same oil, a Bank 2-only fault often points at that bank's solenoid or phaser rather than the oil itself — but checking the oil is still the right first step.
P0022 symptoms
- Rough idle or stalling
- Sluggish acceleration or hesitation
- Reduced fuel economy
- Rattle from the engine at start-up in chain-wear cases
- Check-engine light
What it costs to fix P0022
Varies by vehicle — get it diagnosed.
The repair cost for this code depends too much on your exact vehicle and the underlying cause to quote a meaningful range. Confirm the cause first so you only pay for the fix you actually need.
Diagnose P0022 for my vehicle →How to fix P0022
Moderate — doable at home with common tools and patience
- Confirm oil level, grade, and age
The Bank 2 intake phaser is moved by oil pressure, so start at the dipstick: a low level, a grade thicker or thinner than the one printed on the filler cap, or oil well past its change interval can all leave the cam lagging. Correct any of those first, clear the code, and give it a few days of normal driving before buying parts.
- Read companion codes and the freeze frame
If P0012 set alongside P0022, both banks are lagging and the cause is shared — oil supply, oil pressure, or the timing drive. P0022 alone points at Bank 2's own oil-control valve or phaser. A freeze frame recorded at hot idle, when oil is thinnest and pressure lowest, hints that the phaser is being starved.
- Command the Bank 2 intake cam and watch it follow
On live data, compare desired and actual Bank 2 intake cam angle while you raise the revs or command advance with a bidirectional tool. On many designs the intake phaser rests fully retarded, so an actual value that never leaves its parked reading means the phaser isn't being fed or can't move; one that creeps and trails the target suggests a partly clogged valve or weak pressure.
- Pull the Bank 2 intake oil-control valve and test it
Bank 2 is the bank without cylinder 1, so make sure you have its intake-side valve, not the exhaust one or the Bank 1 twin. Check the screen for sludge or metallic debris, then put 12 volts across it with fused leads — a crisp click and a freely returning plunger is healthy; silence or a sluggish return means replace it.
- Verify oil pressure, then the phaser and chain
If a good valve and fresh oil don't cure it, check hot oil pressure with a mechanical gauge against your engine's spec — a worn pump or bearings can starve the phaser. Normal pressure plus a persistent lag, especially with a cold-start rattle, puts the Bank 2 phaser or a stretched chain in the frame, and that's timing-cover work for a shop.
DIY or shop? An oil change, a live-data check, and replacing the Bank 2 intake oil-control valve are fair driveway jobs — as long as that valve isn't buried. On some transverse V6 layouts the rear-bank valve sits under the intake plenum or cowl, which adds an afternoon. Oil-pressure testing needs a mechanical gauge and the right adapter, so many owners pay for that step. Phaser and chain replacement means timing-cover removal and exact re-timing; get a confirmed diagnosis and let a shop do it.
Tools for the DIY steps: Scan tool with VVT live data · Oil and filter in the specified viscosity · Fused 12V jumper leads · Mechanical oil pressure gauge · Socket set with extensions
Not sure which step applies to your car? Get the likely cause for your exact vehicle before buying anything for P0022.
Start a case with P0022 and your car. Redline weighs these causes against what your car shows, and names the check that would settle it before you buy parts.
Can I drive with P0022?
Redline can’t determine from a symptom or code alone whether your car is safe to drive.
P0022: common questions
Can low oil cause P0022?
It can — the cam phasers run on oil pressure through small passages, so low, dirty, or wrong-viscosity oil is one of the most common causes. An oil change with the correct grade is the cheap, smart first step before replacing parts.
Why only Bank 2 and not both banks?
Bank 2 is the cylinder bank opposite cylinder 1 on a V-type or flat engine. Since both banks share the same oil, a fault on only one bank often points to that bank's solenoid, its clogged screen, or its phaser rather than a global oil problem — though oil is still worth ruling out first.
Is P0022 a timing chain problem?
It can be, especially on high-mileage engines where a stretched chain lets the cam lag — but a sticking solenoid or dirty oil is the more common and far cheaper cause. Rule out oil and the solenoid before assuming a chain job.
Can I drive with P0022?
A code alone can't settle that. Expect less pep and economy while it's active, and address it soon: check the oil right away, and if you hear a start-up rattle or the running gets rougher, stop driving and get it diagnosed.
Related trouble codes
Don’t have a scanner yet? A ~$25 Bluetooth adapter reads codes like P0022 from your phone. See our guide to the best OBD2 Bluetooth adapters. Run a repair shop? See Redline for shops.
Generic OBD-II reference. Manufacturer-specific behavior varies. Confirm with a scan tool and, for safety-related codes, a professional inspection. Cost ranges are reference ranges, not quotes.
Seeing P0022 on your car?
Every problem becomes a Case. Tell Redline what the car is doing: it shows what the evidence supports, what’s still missing, and what to check next, before you approve a repair.
“Inner pad ~1 mm. Outer pad 3 mm.”
Next: check the slide pins move freely before buying parts.