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DTC/P0012

P0012: Intake Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Retarded (Bank 1)

Quick Answer
Moderata GravitàSicuro da guidare (a breve termine)Impianto elettrico

P0012 means the ECU commanded the intake cam on bank 1 to advance, but the actual cam position stayed retarded beyond spec. Usually oil flow to the VVT phaser, not the phaser itself.

Costo di riparazione stimatoDa €40 a €2000+, varia in base al veicolo

Scansiona la tua auto in circa 60 secondi: scopri se P0012 è davvero presente, quanto è urgente e quanto dovrebbe costare la riparazione.

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Cosa significa P0012?

P0012 means the ECU commanded the intake cam on bank 1 to advance, but the actual cam position stayed retarded beyond spec. Usually oil flow to the VVT phaser, not the phaser itself.

P0012 è un codice diagnostico di guasto relativo a impianto elettrico, classificato con gravità moderate. Quando la centralina (ECU) del tuo veicolo rileva questa condizione, memorizza P0012 e accende la spia motore.

Quali sono i sintomi di P0012?

Se il tuo veicolo ha attivato P0012, potresti notare uno o più di questi sintomi:

  • Check Engine Light on, usually steady rather than flashing
  • Rough idle for the first 30 to 60 seconds after a cold start
  • Fuel economy drop of roughly 10 to 15 percent
  • Hesitation or brief stumble under light throttle between 1500 and 2500 rpm
  • Diesel-like rattle from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Occasional long crank after sitting overnight

Cosa causa P0012?

Ecco le cause più comuni di P0012:

altaDirty or stuck intake oil control valve (OCV/VVT solenoid) on bank 1
altaLow oil level, degraded oil, or wrong viscosity restricting flow to the phaser
mediaClogged VVT oil feed screen filter at the cylinder head
mediaStretched timing chain shifting cam correlation out of range
bassaFailed intake camshaft phaser (internal vane leak or locking pin fault)
bassaBroken wire or corroded connector at the OCV

È sicuro guidare con P0012?

In genere sì, per brevi tragitti. You can drive short distances, but expect rough running, worse fuel economy, and potential long-term wear on the timing chain and VVT actuator if ignored beyond a week or two.

Come si diagnostica P0012?

Segui questi passaggi per individuare la causa principale di P0012:

  1. Read all stored and pending codes plus freeze-frame data. Note coolant temp and RPM at the time P0012 set - most oil-related faults set below 40°C.
  2. Check oil level and condition on a level surface. Low, black, or wrong-viscosity oil is the single most common root cause.
  3. Change oil and filter with the exact manufacturer viscosity (e.g. 0W-20 for most modern Toyota/Honda), clear the code and run two full drive cycles.
  4. With a bidirectional scan tool, watch commanded vs actual intake cam angle on bank 1 at warm idle and at 2500 rpm. More than 5° deviation confirms an active fault.
  5. Unplug the intake OCV, check resistance against spec (typically 6.9 to 7.9 ohms) and inspect the connector for oil wicking up the wires.
  6. Remove the OCV and inspect the screen for metal or sludge. Bench-test with 12V - the pintle should click firmly.
  7. If the OCV and oil are good, check cam-to-crank correlation on a scope or compare live cam timing at cranking. Excess drift points to chain stretch.
  8. Last resort: replace the intake phaser and verify commanded vs actual cam position returns to within 2°.

Quanto costa riparare P0012?

I costi di riparazione di P0012 variano a seconda della causa principale e del tuo veicolo. Ecco le stime tipiche:

Riparazione Costo dei ricambi Costo della manodopera Stima totale Difficoltà fai-da-te
Oil and filter change with the correct manufacturer viscosity €40–€90 €0–€50 €40–€140 Facile
Intake OCV/VVT solenoid replacement, bank 1 €40–€180 €60–€180 €100–€360 Moderata
VVT oil filter screen cleaning or replacement at the head €15–€60 €80–€220 €95–€280 Moderata
Timing chain, tensioner and guide replacement €250–€600 €600–€1400 €850–€2000 Professionale
Intake camshaft phaser/actuator replacement €200–€500 €400–€900 €600–€1400 Professionale

Prezzi stimati al March 2026. I costi variano in base alla regione, al veicolo e all'officina.

P0012 su veicoli specifici

P0012 si comporta in modo diverso a seconda del tuo veicolo. Seleziona la tua auto qui sotto per cause specifiche del modello, problemi noti e stime dei costi adeguate:

Toyota

P0012 su Toyota Camry 2.4L / 2.5L

2007-2017

2AZ-FE and 2AR-FE engines suffer from VVT oil filter screen clogging. Toyota TSB EG022-11 covers cleaning the screen at the cylinder head. Extended oil intervals make it worse.

Cosa causa P0012 su una Toyota Camry 2.4L / 2.5L?

Toyota Camry 2.4L / 2.5LClogged VVT oil filter screen behind the banjo bolt at the head
Toyota Camry 2.4L / 2.5LSludge from 15,000 km oil intervals blocking phaser feed
Toyota Camry 2.4L / 2.5LFailed intake OCV (Toyota P/N 15330-0H010 or 15330-28020)

Costo di riparazione di P0012 per Toyota Camry 2.4L / 2.5L

Costi stimati per i proprietari di Toyota Camry 2.4L / 2.5Ladeguato al ribasso rispetto alla media a causa dei prezzi dei ricambi specifici Toyota

Riparazione Costo dei ricambi Costo della manodopera Stima totale Difficoltà fai-da-te
Oil and filter change with the correct manufacturer viscosity €36–€81 €0–€45 €36–€126 Facile
Intake OCV/VVT solenoid replacement, bank 1 €36–€162 €54–€162 €90–€324 Moderata
VVT oil filter screen cleaning or replacement at the head €14–€54 €72–€198 €86–€252 Moderata
Timing chain, tensioner and guide replacement €225–€540 €540–€1260 €765–€1800 Professionale
Intake camshaft phaser/actuator replacement €180–€450 €360–€810 €540–€1260 Professionale

Prezzi stimati al March 2026. I costi variano in base alla regione, al veicolo e all'officina.

Honda

P0012 su Honda Civic 1.8L R18 / 2.0L K20

2006-2015

R18A and K20Z engines use a VTC actuator on the intake cam. The cold-start grinding rattle is documented in Honda TSB 10-025 and usually precedes P0012 by months.

Cosa causa P0012 su una Honda Civic 1.8L R18 / 2.0L K20?

Honda Civic 1.8L R18 / 2.0L K20Worn VTC actuator with failed lock pin (grinding rattle at cold start)
Honda Civic 1.8L R18 / 2.0L K20Failed VTC oil control solenoid on the front of the head
Honda Civic 1.8L R18 / 2.0L K20Slow oil pressure build at cold start due to worn oil pump chain
Volkswagen

P0012 su VW Golf 2.0 TSI (EA888)

2008-2014

Gen 1 and Gen 2 EA888 engines have a well-known timing chain tensioner failure. VW extended the warranty to 10 years / 100,000 miles (160,000 km) in the US under 24GG. P0012 usually appears with P0016.

Cosa causa P0012 su una VW Golf 2.0 TSI (EA888)?

VW Golf 2.0 TSI (EA888)Failed timing chain tensioner allowing chain skip
VW Golf 2.0 TSI (EA888)Stretched timing chain (common past 120,000 km)
VW Golf 2.0 TSI (EA888)Sticking intake cam adjuster (N205 solenoid)

Costo di riparazione di P0012 per VW Golf 2.0 TSI (EA888)

Costi stimati per i proprietari di VW Golf 2.0 TSI (EA888)adeguato al rialzo rispetto alla media a causa dei prezzi dei ricambi specifici Volkswagen

Riparazione Costo dei ricambi Costo della manodopera Stima totale Difficoltà fai-da-te
Oil and filter change with the correct manufacturer viscosity €52–€117 €0–€65 €52–€182 Facile
Intake OCV/VVT solenoid replacement, bank 1 €52–€234 €78–€234 €130–€468 Moderata
VVT oil filter screen cleaning or replacement at the head €20–€78 €104–€286 €124–€364 Moderata
Timing chain, tensioner and guide replacement €325–€780 €780–€1820 €1105–€2600 Professionale
Intake camshaft phaser/actuator replacement €260–€650 €520–€1170 €780–€1820 Professionale

Prezzi stimati al March 2026. I costi variano in base alla regione, al veicolo e all'officina.

BMW

P0012 su BMW 3-Series N52

2006-2013

N52 VANOS solenoids gum up with oil varnish. Pulling both solenoids, cleaning them with brake cleaner and swapping their positions is a standard diagnostic step before buying parts.

Cosa causa P0012 su una BMW 3-Series N52?

BMW 3-Series N52Varnished VANOS solenoid (cleaning often fixes it)
BMW 3-Series N52Failed intake VANOS solenoid (BMW P/N 11367585425)
BMW 3-Series N52Worn VANOS unit internal seals causing hydraulic leak-down

Costo di riparazione di P0012 per BMW 3-Series N52

Costi stimati per i proprietari di BMW 3-Series N52adeguato al rialzo rispetto alla media a causa dei prezzi dei ricambi specifici BMW

Riparazione Costo dei ricambi Costo della manodopera Stima totale Difficoltà fai-da-te
Oil and filter change with the correct manufacturer viscosity €56–€126 €0–€70 €56–€196 Facile
Intake OCV/VVT solenoid replacement, bank 1 €56–€252 €84–€252 €140–€504 Moderata
VVT oil filter screen cleaning or replacement at the head €21–€84 €112–€308 €133–€392 Moderata
Timing chain, tensioner and guide replacement €350–€840 €840–€1960 €1190–€2800 Professionale
Intake camshaft phaser/actuator replacement €280–€700 €560–€1260 €840–€1960 Professionale

Prezzi stimati al March 2026. I costi variano in base alla regione, al veicolo e all'officina.

Ford

P0012 su Ford F-150 5.4L 3V Triton

2004-2010

The 3-valve 5.4L is notorious for cam phaser failure - Ford TSB 08-7-6 covers the phaser and VCT solenoid replacement. Loud diesel-like rattle at idle plus P0012 or P0022 is the classic signature.

Cosa causa P0012 su una Ford F-150 5.4L 3V Triton?

Ford F-150 5.4L 3V TritonFailed cam phasers (near-universal failure mode on this engine)
Ford F-150 5.4L 3V TritonWorn timing chain guides and tensioners
Ford F-150 5.4L 3V TritonVCT solenoid stuck open due to metal debris from failing phasers

Costo di riparazione di P0012 per Ford F-150 5.4L 3V Triton

Costi stimati per i proprietari di Ford F-150 5.4L 3V Tritonadeguato al rialzo rispetto alla media a causa dei prezzi dei ricambi specifici Ford

Riparazione Costo dei ricambi Costo della manodopera Stima totale Difficoltà fai-da-te
Oil and filter change with the correct manufacturer viscosity €60–€135 €0–€75 €60–€210 Facile
Intake OCV/VVT solenoid replacement, bank 1 €60–€270 €90–€270 €150–€540 Moderata
VVT oil filter screen cleaning or replacement at the head €23–€90 €120–€330 €143–€420 Moderata
Timing chain, tensioner and guide replacement €375–€900 €900–€2100 €1275–€3000 Professionale
Intake camshaft phaser/actuator replacement €300–€750 €600–€1350 €900–€2100 Professionale

Prezzi stimati al March 2026. I costi variano in base alla regione, al veicolo e all'officina.

Questi codici compaiono spesso insieme a P0012 o indicano problemi correlati:

Domande frequenti su P0012

Can I just clear P0012 and keep driving?

You can, but it'll return within a few drive cycles if the root cause isn't fixed. Driving for months with an over-retarded cam accelerates chain wear and can wipe out the phaser's locking pin.

Will the wrong oil viscosity really trigger P0012?

Yes, and it's the fix I see most often. VVT phasers are calibrated to a specific oil viscosity. Running 5W-30 in an engine that specs 0W-20 slows phaser response enough to trip P0011 or P0012, especially when cold.

How do I tell if it's the solenoid or a stretched timing chain?

Solenoid faults tend to appear cold and clear once oil warms. Chain stretch stays consistent across temperatures and almost always brings P0016 or P0017 correlation codes along with a persistent rattle at startup.

Is P0012 covered under powertrain warranty?

Usually yes if you're inside the powertrain window, but dealers will ask for service records. Missed oil changes are the standard reason claims get denied on VVT faults.

Why does the rattle go away after a few seconds but the code stays?

The rattle is the phaser unlocking before oil pressure builds. Once pressure fills the vanes it quiets down, but the ECU already logged the out-of-range cam angle during that first second or two.

Leggi le nostre guide dettagliate

Skanyx

Esegui la scansione della tua auto con Skanyx per diagnosticare P0012

La tua auto ha registrato P0012. Skanyx lo legge con qualsiasi adattatore OBD2 Bluetooth standard, ti dice se puoi continuare a guidare in sicurezza e mostra la fascia di riparazione di €40-€2000 così conosci la cifra prima che un'officina ti faccia un preventivo.

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