OBD-II trouble code
P000C: "A" Camshaft Position Slow Response (Bank 2)
Application matters: This designation concerns camshaft A on bank 2. Locate bank 2 and camshaft A using the actual engine service information; bank numbering is not a near-side or far-side location and does not determine repair access.
The slow-response monitor identified camshaft A on bank 2. The affected bank matters, but the code does not prove target arrival, a failed part or more difficult access.
Quick facts
- System
- Powertrain
- Category
- Variable Valve Timing
- Severity
- Medium severity
- Driving guidance
- Depends on symptoms and vehicle guidance
- Repair cost range
- Get a vehicle-specific estimate after diagnosis.
- DIY difficulty
- Shop recommended
A code alone cannot establish whether driving is safe. Stop safely for a red brake or oil-pressure warning, overheating, severe misfire, stalling, or impaired braking or steering, and follow the owner's manual. Restraints faults can reduce crash protection even when the vehicle runs normally.
Browse every code in P0001–P00C6, or start from the full code library.
What does P000C mean?
P000C retains the A-camshaft designation of P000A but identifies bank 2. That distinction matters when interpreting scan parameters, locating components and following a bank-specific procedure. It does not mean the far side of the engine, nor does it establish the cost of reaching the component. Match the bank and camshaft labels before using data from a different cylinder bank.
A slow-response finding means the required response was not demonstrated under the monitor’s criteria. It is not proof that the actuator completed its movement, and it does not identify whether the cause is in control, oil supply, position feedback or the mechanical system. Companion P0021 timing-result information or correlation faults need their own interpretation and the manufacturer’s diagnostic priority.
Subaru’s March 2019 bulletin provides a useful application-specific comparison: Appendix A includes a P000C example using the bank 2 AVCS diagnostic value and a bank 1 comparison value. This supports a defined comparison, not a rule that the two displayed cam angles must always match. P000C is routed to chart (1), whose verification branches can end diagnosis before later pressure or strainer inspections. The learning-value routes for P0016–P0019 belong to the separate correlation-code table.
Possible causes
- Oil level, viscosity or contamination outside the requirements of the installed system
- A bank 2 A-designated timing-control valve or actuator fault
- An electrical connection or position-feedback problem confirmed by the prescribed checks
- A restriction or pressure fault found on the applicable oil-supply branch
- Mechanical timing or camshaft damage demonstrated by engine-specific inspection
Symptoms
- Check-engine light and a stored bank 2 response code
- Rough running, hesitation or reduced power where engine operation is affected
- Other bank 2 actuator, timing-result or correlation faults
- No obvious running complaint when the scan is performed
- Oil-pressure warnings or abnormal timing noise requiring prompt assessment
Diagnostic steps
Save the full scan report, code status, and available freeze-frame data before clearing anything. Confirm the reporting module, any failure-type suffix, and the procedure for the exact vehicle. The steps below are an overview; use manufacturer specifications and safety procedures for testing.
- 1.Save P000C, its status and event information with all companion faults. Identify bank 2 camshaft A and its scan parameters from the exact engine documentation.
- 2.Describe actual symptoms and recent work to the technician. Do not infer fault location from vehicle side, or an expensive repair from the bank number.
- 3.Follow the applicable code priority and oil-check instructions. An oil-pressure warning or abnormal timing noise is a reason to stop running the engine and obtain assistance.
- 4.Have response and feedback assessed under the manufacturer’s required conditions. Where a bank comparison is prescribed, use the specified parameters and decision method rather than an arbitrary angle difference.
- 5.For the listed Subaru applications, use chart (1) and its verification decisions. Do not substitute the correlation-code learning routes or require every later oil-supply inspection after a permitted exit.
- 6.Let the failed diagnostic branch determine the protected electrical, control, hydraulic or mechanical checks. Avoid improvised valve energizing, phaser movement or bank-to-bank parts swaps.
- 7.Verify the demonstrated repair using the matched confirmation procedure and any required setup. A code that has been cleared without completed confirmation is not a verified repair.
Repair cost
Get a vehicle-specific estimate after diagnosis.
A trouble code alone does not price the repair. Ask the shop to identify the confirmed fault and itemize diagnosis, parts, labor, programming or calibration, and taxes.
Estimate your repair
Run the numbers for your vehicle
Open the Repair Cost Estimator with vvt control solenoid replacement, if diagnosed preselected. Adjust labor rate and vehicle category to fit your situation.
Related repairs
These links are planning examples; the code does not confirm that any listed part has failed.
DIY vs shop
A qualified shop is recommended because this can involve engine timing components, where locking tools and exact sequencing are the difference between a repaired engine and valves meeting pistons. Ask the technician what testing confirmed the repair.