P0345 — Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit (Bank 2)

What does P0345 mean?

P0345 is the Bank 2 counterpart of P0340. The ECM cannot interpret the camshaft position sensor signal on the Bank 2 "A" camshaft — the signal is missing, out of phase with the crankshaft signal, or carrying electrical noise. Bank 2 is the cylinder bank that does NOT contain cylinder number 1, so P0345 only appears on engines with two banks: V6, V8, V10, V12, and flat / boxer layouts. An inline engine has a single bank and cannot set this code.

What are the symptoms of P0345?

• Check Engine Light is illuminated
• Hard start with extended cranking
• Intermittent stalling, often when hot
• Possible complete no-start condition
• Rough running and reduced power
• Engine cuts out and restarts after a brief delay
• Reduced fuel economy

What causes P0345?

Repair costs are typical US ranges and vary by make, model, model year, and labor rate. A diagnostic trouble code is a symptom, not a guaranteed failed part — confirm the root cause before replacing anything.

Is it safe to drive with P0345?

In most cases a vehicle stays drivable for short trips with P0345 active, but you should diagnose and repair it promptly. This is a high-severity code — ignoring it can lead to further damage or a failed emissions test. Exact tolerance depends on your specific make and model.

How to diagnose P0345

1. Identify which bank is Bank 2 on this engine

   Bank 2 is the bank without cylinder number 1. On a transverse V6 that is usually the bank nearest the firewall, but "usually" is not good enough — manufacturers vary, and getting this backwards means replacing a healthy sensor on the wrong side of the engine. Confirm the cylinder numbering in the service information for this specific engine before you buy anything.

   Tools: Vehicle-specific service information

2. Inspect the connector and wiring

   Unplug the Bank 2 sensor and check for corrosion, bent or pushed back pins, oil in the connector body, and chafing where the harness routes past brackets. On transverse engines the rear-bank harness is the one that gets pinched during other repairs, so look carefully if the engine has had recent work.

   Tools: Connector unlock tool, Flashlight, Inspection mirror

3. Confirm power and ground at the connector

   Key on with the sensor unplugged, verify the supply voltage the wiring diagram specifies and a clean low-resistance ground path. Missing power or a poor ground produces P0345 with a perfectly good sensor installed, and no amount of parts swapping will fix it.

   Tools: Multimeter, Wiring diagram

4. Scope or graph the Bank 2 sensor signal

   Capture the signal while cranking or running. The Bank 2 sensor should produce the same clean pattern as Bank 1 — which gives you a free reference waveform on the same engine. Comparing the two banks side by side is the fastest way to confirm one is bad.

   Tools: Oscilloscope, or scan tool with raw sensor PIDs, Back-probe pins

5. Check cam-crank correlation on the Bank 2 side

   Watch the Bank 2 cam signal against the crank signal in live data. They should hold a fixed relationship. An offset that drifts as RPM rises suggests chain stretch on that bank rather than a sensor fault — and replacing the sensor will not resolve it.

   Tools: Scan tool with dual-PID graphing

How do I fix P0345?

• Replace the Bank 2 camshaft position sensor with an OEM part
• Repair the Bank 2 sensor connector or harness
• Replace the cam sensor o-ring to stop oil intrusion
• Replace a slipped or damaged Bank 2 reluctor wheel
• Replace stretched timing chains and guides if correlation drift is confirmed

P0345 by make and model

Select your exact year, make, and model below to get a P0345 diagnosis tuned to your vehicle's known failure patterns, recalls, and TSBs.

Related diagnostic codes

• P0340 — Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Fault
• P0341 — Camshaft Position Sensor Range / Performance
• P0342 — Cam Position Sensor Low Input (Bank 1)
• P0343 — Cam Position Sensor High Input (Bank 1)
• P0019 — Crank/Cam Correlation (Bank 2 Exhaust)
• P0420 — Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold

Common symptoms of P0345

P0345 often shows up as one of these symptoms. Start from what your car is actually doing:

• Hard starting / long crank
• Engine stalling
• Reduced engine power / limp mode
• Engine vibration or shaking