P0342 on a 2012 Honda Odyssey
Cam Position Sensor Low Input (Bank 1)
P0342 on a 2012 Honda Odyssey indicates cam position sensor low input (bank 1). It usually stays drivable short-term but should be diagnosed promptly. The most common cause is camshaft position sensor signal wire shorted to ground (typically $80–$350). Confirm the root cause before replacing parts.
What does P0342 mean on a 2012 Honda Odyssey?
P0342 is set when the ECM sees the Bank 1 "A" camshaft position sensor circuit sitting below its calibrated minimum voltage. On most engines "A" is the intake camshaft, or the single cam sensor on engines that only have one. The usual explanation is a signal wire shorted to ground, an open circuit that lets the ECM's internal pull-down hold the line low, or a sensor that has failed to a low output. P0342 is a voltage-level fault — distinct from P0340 (no usable signal) and P0341 (signal present but out of spec).
The symptoms, causes, and diagnostic steps below describe P0342 itself, so they read the same on nearby Honda Odyssey model years. Powertrain and trim details vary year to year — confirm the specifics against your own vehicle before buying parts.
Is it safe to drive a 2012 Honda Odyssey with P0342?
In most cases a 2012 Honda Odyssey stays drivable for short trips with P0342 active, but diagnose and repair it promptly. This is a high-severity code — ignoring it can lead to further damage or a failed emissions test.
What are the symptoms of P0342 on a 2012 Honda Odyssey?
- Check Engine Light is illuminated
- Hard start with extended cranking
- Possible complete no-start condition
- Stalling, often when the engine is hot
- Rough running and noticeably reduced power
- Misfire-like stumbling if the ECM loses cylinder sync
- Reduced fuel economy
What causes P0342 on a 2012 Honda Odyssey?
| Cause | Likelihood | Estimated repair (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Camshaft position sensor signal wire shorted to ground | Most common | $80–$350 |
| Failed camshaft position sensor (output stuck low) | Most common | $100–$400 |
| Corroded or water-intruded sensor connector | Common | $50–$250 |
| Oil leaking into the cam sensor port and shorting the sensor internals Replace the o-ring along with the sensor or the new one fails the same way. | Common | $80–$350 |
| Open or high-resistance reference-voltage or ground circuit feeding the sensor | Occasional | $80–$350 |
| Damaged or slipped camshaft reluctor / tone wheel | Occasional | $300–$1,200 |
| Failed PCM input for the cam sensor circuit | Rare | $400–$1,500 |
Cost ranges are editorial estimates for parts and labor at an independent U.S. shop — not quotes. What you actually pay moves with your region, the shop's hourly rate, which engine you have, and how much diagnostic time the job takes. Dealer service departments typically sit above these ranges.
How to diagnose this on a 2012 Honda Odyssey
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Inspect the connector and harness at the cam sensor
The cam sensor usually threads into the cylinder head or the timing cover near the front of the engine. Unplug it and look for corrosion, spread or pushed-back pins, oil inside the connector body, and chafe marks where the harness passes a bracket. Fix what you find before testing further — a marginal connector produces exactly this code.
Tools: Connector unlock tool, Flashlight, Electrical contact cleaner
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Back-probe the signal wire with the key on
With the sensor still connected and the key on, engine off, measure the signal wire against a good ground. A Hall-effect cam sensor normally rests high (near reference voltage) and pulls low as the reluctor passes. A signal line sitting at or near zero volts with the key on is the condition that sets P0342.
Tools: Multimeter, Back-probe pins, Wiring diagram
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Run the disconnect test to split sensor from wiring
Unplug the sensor and measure the signal wire at the harness side, key on. If the voltage now rises to the ECM's reference level, the wiring is fine and the sensor was pulling it down — replace the sensor. If it stays pinned low with the sensor unplugged, the short to ground is in the harness, and a new sensor will change nothing.
Tools: Multimeter, Wiring diagram
-
Verify sensor power and ground
With the connector unplugged and the key on, confirm the supply voltage the wiring diagram calls for on the power pin, and a clean low-resistance path from the ground pin to chassis ground. A corroded ground makes a good sensor read low and sets P0342 with no fault in the sensor at all.
Tools: Multimeter, Wiring diagram
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Scope the sensor while cranking
If the static tests all pass, capture the waveform during a crank. A healthy Hall sensor produces clean square pulses at consistent spacing. Pulses that are present but clipped low, or a trace that never leaves the baseline, confirm the sensor or its supply. Compare against the known-good waveform in the service manual.
Tools: Oscilloscope, Back-probe pins
NHTSA complaints & recalls for the 2012 Honda Odyssey
Owner-reported safety complaints and official recalls filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the 2012 Honda Odyssey. Use these to gauge how common a problem is on your specific vehicle before you start chasing Honda Odyssey diagnostics.
- ENGINE 39
- POWER TRAIN 24
- SERVICE BRAKES 60
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 33
- STRUCTURE 25
5 active recalls
- SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY Nov 2017
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The second row outboard seats can slide sideways to one of two positions. If a seat is placed between either of the two positions when attaching the seat to the vehicle floor, the seat will…
NHTSA campaign 17V725000 - SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY Dec 2016
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 17, 2010, to October 1, 2015. The affected vehicles have second row outboard seats that have a release lever that allows the seats to move for easier access to the thi…
NHTSA campaign 16V933000 - SUSPENSION:FRONT Dec 2011
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012, ODYSSEY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 31, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2011. THE RETENTION NUT FOR THE FRONT RIGHT LOWER SUSPENSION DAMPER BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER TORQUE, POTENTIALLY ALLOWING THE NUT TO LOOSEN…
NHTSA campaign 11V602000 - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Apr 2013
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 CR-V, Odyssey, and model year 2013 Acura RDX vehicles. During sub-freezing temperatures, the brake-shift interlock blocking mechanism may become slow and allow the gear selector to be moved from the Park position without pressing t…
NHTSA campaign 13V143000
How do I fix P0342 on a 2012 Honda Odyssey?
- Replace the camshaft position sensor with an OEM part
- Repair the shorted-to-ground signal wire
- Repair or replace the corroded sensor connector
- Replace the cam sensor o-ring to stop oil intrusion
- Replace a damaged or slipped cam reluctor wheel
Engines in the 2012 Honda Odyssey
The 2012 Honda Odyssey was offered with the 3.5L 6-cylinder engine. Which one you have changes where P0342 is most likely to originate, so confirm your engine before ordering parts.
Engine data: EPA fueleconomy.gov.
P0340, P0341, P0342, P0343 — which one you have matters
All four are the same sensor. What differs is what the ECM measured, and that changes where you point the multimeter:
| Code | What the ECM saw |
|---|---|
| P0340 | No usable signal at all |
| P0341 | Signal present, but the pattern or timing is wrong |
| P0342 | Circuit voltage below the calibrated minimum |
| P0343 | Circuit voltage above the calibrated maximum |
P0342 and P0343 are the pair that most reliably points at wiring rather than at the sensor, because a specific voltage rail failure is usually caused by a specific wire touching something it shouldn’t.
The one test that saves the most money
Unplug the sensor and measure the harness-side signal wire with the key on. That single measurement splits the diagnosis cleanly:
- Voltage comes up to reference → the harness is good, the sensor was dragging the line down. Replace the sensor.
- Voltage stays low → the sensor was never the problem. The short to ground is in the harness, and you have wire to chase.
A cam sensor is a cheap part and a quick job on most engines, which is exactly why so many get replaced for nothing. Two minutes with a multimeter tells you whether yours is one of them.
Why a cam sensor fault can strand you
The ECM uses the cam signal to work out which cylinder is on its compression stroke rather than its exhaust stroke. Without a usable cam signal, many engines default to a fail-safe that cuts fuel injection entirely — the engine cranks and never fires. Others fall back to running on the crank signal alone in batch-fire mode, which runs, but roughly. Which behaviour you get depends on the manufacturer, so a P0342 that lets you drive today can still leave you stranded tomorrow.
The heat-soak pattern
If the code is intermittent and the trouble shows up after the engine is fully warm — stop for fuel after half an hour of driving, come back to a long crank or a no-start — that pattern points at a sensor whose internals break down as they heat up, or at oil that has worked its way into the sensor body. Both get worse over time. Fix it on your schedule rather than on the side of a road.
P0342 on a 2012 Honda Odyssey: frequently asked questions
What does diagnostic trouble code P0342 mean on a 2012 Honda Odyssey?
P0342 is set when the ECM sees the Bank 1 "A" camshaft position sensor circuit sitting below its calibrated minimum voltage. On most engines "A" is the intake camshaft, or the single cam sensor on engines that only have one. The usual explanation is a signal wire shorted to ground, an open circuit that lets the ECM's internal pull-down hold the line low, or a sensor that has failed to a low output. P0342 is a voltage-level fault — distinct from P0340 (no usable signal) and P0341 (signal present but out of spec).
What are the symptoms of P0342 on a 2012 Honda Odyssey?
Check Engine Light is illuminated. Hard start with extended cranking. Possible complete no-start condition. Stalling, often when the engine is hot. Rough running and noticeably reduced power. Misfire-like stumbling if the ECM loses cylinder sync. Reduced fuel economy
What causes P0342 on a 2012 Honda Odyssey?
Camshaft position sensor signal wire shorted to ground (most-common). Failed camshaft position sensor (output stuck low) (most-common). Corroded or water-intruded sensor connector (common). Oil leaking into the cam sensor port and shorting the sensor internals (common). Open or high-resistance reference-voltage or ground circuit feeding the sensor (occasional). Damaged or slipped camshaft reluctor / tone wheel (occasional). Failed PCM input for the cam sensor circuit (rare)
Is it safe to drive a 2012 Honda Odyssey with P0342?
In most cases a 2012 Honda Odyssey stays drivable for short trips with P0342 active, but it should be diagnosed and repaired promptly — this is a high-severity code. Ignoring it can lead to further damage or a failed emissions test.