P0369
PowertrainCamshaft Position Sensor "B" Circuit Intermittent (Bank 1)
The camshaft position sensor on bank 1 (the 'B' sensor, usually watching the exhaust cam) is sending the ECU a signal that keeps dropping out instead of arriving cleanly. The ECU needs that signal to know exactly where the camshaft is so it can time the spark and injection. When the reading comes and goes, the engine can hesitate, stumble, or stall without warning, and on a lot of cars it drops into limp mode to protect itself. The 'intermittent' part is the headache here, because the fault often won't show itself when the car is sat still in the garage.
ⓘ Information only. This page provides general educational information about fault code P0369. We do not assess the urgency or safety implications of any specific fault. That requires in-person diagnosis by a qualified mechanic. Full terms.
Recommended next steps
Whether a fault is urgent, drivable, or routine depends entirely on the cause on a specific vehicle, and that can only be determined by a qualified mechanic with diagnostic equipment. If a warning light is illuminated, the most reliable next step is professional diagnosis.
What does P0369 mean?
P0369 is a Powertrain (engine, transmission, fuel system) fault code. It indicates: Camshaft Position Sensor "B" Circuit Intermittent (Bank 1).
This is a standardised OBD-II code. The technical definition is the same regardless of the make or model of vehicle, although specific causes and symptoms can vary between vehicles.
Symptoms commonly associated with this code
Symptoms that drivers often report alongside this code. Not all may apply to every case:
- • Engine warning light that flickers on and off rather than staying solid
- • Hesitation or a flat spot when you put your foot down, then it clears as quickly as it appeared
- • Occasional hard starting or the engine cranking longer than usual before it fires
- • Rough idle that tends to be worse once the engine is up to temperature
- • The odd stall at junctions or when coasting to a stop, often with no warning
- • Reduced power or limp mode that resets after the engine is switched off and restarted
Possible causes
Causes commonly associated with P0369, listed in approximate order of typical investigation. The actual cause on a specific vehicle can only be confirmed by professional diagnosis.
- 1. Damaged or corroded wiring and connector at the sensor, by far the usual cause of an intermittent code. Look for chafed insulation, green pins, or a connector that's worked loose with engine vibration
- 2. Oil contamination in the sensor connector or down the loom, common where a leaking cam cover gasket has been ignored. The oil wicks into the plug and upsets the signal
- 3. The camshaft sensor itself breaking down when it gets hot, working fine cold and dropping out once everything warms through
- 4. A poor or high-resistance earth in the sensor circuit, which lets the signal wander
- 5. Moisture getting into the connector after pressure washing or in wet weather, then drying out and seeming fine again
- 6. Worn timing chain or stretched chain on the cam, throwing the sensor's reluctor out of position. More common on higher-mileage engines
- 7. A failing ECM, which is rare and should only be considered once everything upstream checks out clean
How mechanics typically diagnose
A typical diagnostic sequence used by mechanics, provided here for educational reference only. Diagnostic work should be performed by a qualified mechanic with the appropriate tools and training.
- 1. Pull all the codes and the freeze frame data, then note whether any crank sensor (P0335 series) or other cam codes are stored alongside it. Those change the whole picture
- 2. Get your eyes on the bank 1 'B' sensor connector and the loom running to it. Unclip it and check for oil sitting in the plug, spread pins, corrosion, or a chafe point where the loom rubs the head
- 3. Watch the live cam sensor signal on a scan tool with the engine idling and then revving, looking for the trace cutting out or spiking rather than a clean steady pattern
- 4. Do a wiggle test on the harness and connector while you watch that live data, because the whole point of an intermittent fault is forcing it to show up while you're looking
- 5. Check the sensor earth back to the battery negative for continuity and resistance. A dodgy earth fools a lot of people into binning a perfectly good sensor
- 6. If the wiring, earth and connector all come back clean, test the sensor resistance against the workshop figures or swap in a known-good unit and see if the dropout disappears
Common questions about P0369
Can I keep driving the car like this or should I get it off the road? +
Short hops to the garage are usually fine, but I wouldn't plan a long motorway run on it. The trouble with an intermittent cam sensor is that it can drop out mid-drive with no notice, and if the car goes into limp mode or stalls while you're overtaking or pulling into traffic, that's a real safety problem. If the warning light is flickering and you can feel the hesitation, sort it before it leaves you stranded somewhere awkward.
Is this going to fail the MOT? +
The code on its own isn't an MOT line. What the tester sees is the dash. If the engine management light is illuminated when they hook up at the start, that's a fail under the warning lamp check. An intermittent fault sometimes clears the light for a while, so it can sneak through, but don't bank on it. Far better to fix the cause and let the light go out properly before booking the test.
What's it likely to cost to put right? +
If it's just an oily connector or a chafed wire, an independent garage might do it for somewhere in the £40 to £90 range, mostly labour. The sensor itself is usually a cheap part, often £20 to £60, with fitting it tends to come to £80 to £200 fitted at an indie depending on how buried the sensor is. A main dealer will charge noticeably more for the same job. If the real problem turns out to be a stretched timing chain throwing the reading off, that's a different conversation entirely and can run into four figures.
Information only, not professional advice
The information on this page is provided for general guidance and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for diagnosis or repair advice from a qualified mechanic. Always verify any fault before paying for repairs. carfaultcodes.co.uk accepts no liability for decisions made based on this information. Full terms →