P0014–P0024 B Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance Bank 1
The camshaft is not lining up with the crankshaft where the ECU commanded. On these engines that is usually the variable-valve-timing adjuster, its solenoid, or oil that is too old or too low to move the adjuster.
Can you drive it? This class of fault can cause real mechanical damage if you keep driving on it. A persistent misfire also destroys the catalytic converter, which is the expensive part.
Which code is which
Same fault, different cylinder or bank — diagnosed the same way. Several set together usually means one shared cause.
| Code | Definition | Severity |
|---|---|---|
P0014 | B Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance Bank 1 | Do not keep driving |
P0021 | A Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance Bank 2 | Do not keep driving |
P0024 | B Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance Bank 2 | Do not keep driving |
The definition
P0014: B Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance Bank 1.
P0014 is a powertrain code (the engine or gearbox), defined by the SAE standard - it means the same thing on any make of car, and any generic OBD-II reader will decode it.
What to check first
Cheapest and fastest checks first:
- Check the oil level and when it was last changed. These adjusters run on oil pressure and are the first thing to suffer from old or low oil.
- Check the cam adjuster solenoid and its screen for sludge.
- Only then suspect the timing chain or belt and its tensioner.
Reading the code is the easy part
A code names the circuit that complained. What tells you why is watching the sensor behind it while the engine runs — and that is where a code reader stops and a diagnostic tool starts.
VAGPULSE reads your engine ECU's fault codes and the live measuring blocks behind them, and clears the codes once you have fixed the fault. On the engine it also does what a generic OBD reader cannot on a VAG: coding, adaptations, and Stage 1–3 flashing on Bosch ME7 petrol ECUs, with a backup saved every time it reads your ECU.
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Common questions
What does P0014 mean?
P0014 means B Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance Bank 1. The camshaft is not lining up with the crankshaft where the ECU commanded. On these engines that is usually the variable-valve-timing adjuster, its solenoid, or oil that is too old or too low to move the adjuster.
Can I drive with P0014?
This class of fault can cause real mechanical damage if you keep driving on it. A persistent misfire also destroys the catalytic converter, which is the expensive part.