P0345 on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500
Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit (Bank 2)
P0345 on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 indicates camshaft position sensor circuit (bank 2). It usually stays drivable short-term but should be diagnosed promptly. The most common cause is failed bank 2 camshaft position sensor (typically $100–$400). Confirm the root cause before replacing parts.
What does P0345 mean on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
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.
The symptoms, causes, and diagnostic steps below describe P0345 itself, so they read the same on nearby GMC Sierra 1500 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 GMC Sierra 1500 with P0345?
In most cases a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 stays drivable for short trips with P0345 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 P0345 on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
- 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 on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
| Cause | Likelihood | Estimated repair (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Failed Bank 2 camshaft position sensor | Most common | $100–$400 |
| Damaged or corroded Bank 2 sensor connector | Common | $50–$250 |
| Chafed or broken Bank 2 sensor wiring | Common | $80–$350 |
| Oil leaking into the cam sensor port through a failed o-ring | Common | $80–$350 |
| Loose, slipped, or damaged Bank 2 camshaft reluctor wheel | Occasional | $300–$1,200 |
| Timing chain stretch on the Bank 2 side causing cam-crank correlation drift | Occasional | $800–$3,000 |
| Failed PCM input for the Bank 2 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 GMC Sierra 1500
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
NHTSA complaints & recalls for the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500
Owner-reported safety complaints and official recalls filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the 2012 GMC Sierra 1500. Use these to gauge how common a problem is on your specific vehicle before you start chasing GMC Sierra 1500 diagnostics.
- ENGINE 6
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10
- STRUCTURE 10
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9
- STEERING 7
3 active recalls
- EQUIPMENT Apr 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers…
NHTSA campaign 18V267000 - AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE Feb 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Silverado 3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 2500, Sierra 3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA,…
NHTSA campaign 21V054000 - AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE Feb 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado 1500, Silverado 2500/3500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Sierra 2500/3500, Yukon, and Yukon XL originally sold, or ever registered, in the states o…
NHTSA campaign 21V051000
How do I fix P0345 on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
- 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
If your engine is an inline-4, this code is not yours
P0345 refers to Bank 2 — the cylinder bank that does not contain cylinder number 1. Engines with a single bank (inline-3, inline-4, inline-5, inline-6) have no Bank 2 and cannot legitimately set this code. If a scan tool reports P0345 on a four-cylinder, the most likely explanations are a generic code lookup table in the tool showing you the wrong description, or a manufacturer-specific code that shares the P0345 number. Check the code against the manufacturer’s own definition before you go looking for a sensor that does not exist.
The free reference waveform
A two-bank engine gives you something a single-bank engine cannot: an identical known-good sensor sitting on the other side of the same engine, running in the same conditions, at the same age. Scope both cam sensors together. If Bank 1’s trace is clean and Bank 2’s is noisy, missing pulses, or flat, you have your answer without needing a service manual waveform to compare against.
Bank 2 access is often the real cost
The part itself is the same price on either bank. The labour frequently is not. On transverse V6s the rear bank sits against the firewall, and reaching its cam sensor can mean removing the intake manifold or lifting the engine on its mounts. Before assuming this is the same job as the Bank 1 sensor you replaced two years ago, look up the labour time for your specific engine — it is a fair question to ask a shop for a quote on even if you would normally do the work yourself.
When P0345 is really a timing chain
On engines with documented chain-stretch histories, a cam sensor code can be the first visible symptom of a chain that has worn past spec. The sensor reports the cam’s position accurately; the cam is simply not where the ECM expects it to be. The tell is cam-crank correlation that drifts as RPM climbs, usually paired with a rattle from the timing cover on cold start. If you see both, replacing the sensor buys you nothing — and a chain that skips a tooth on an interference engine turns a timing job into an engine rebuild.
P0345 on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500: frequently asked questions
What does diagnostic trouble code P0345 mean on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
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 on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
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 on a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500?
Failed Bank 2 camshaft position sensor (most-common). Damaged or corroded Bank 2 sensor connector (common). Chafed or broken Bank 2 sensor wiring (common). Oil leaking into the cam sensor port through a failed o-ring (common). Loose, slipped, or damaged Bank 2 camshaft reluctor wheel (occasional). Timing chain stretch on the Bank 2 side causing cam-crank correlation drift (occasional). Failed PCM input for the Bank 2 cam sensor circuit (rare)
Is it safe to drive a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 with P0345?
In most cases a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 stays drivable for short trips with P0345 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.