Drive DTCP0016 – Crankshaft and camshaft timing don't line up
Crankshaft/camshaft position correlation (Bank 1 Sensor A)
Engine management · generic OBD-II code
Drive it only if you have to, gently and not far. Get it fixed right away.
Check this first
Listen for a rattle at start-up and check the oil level – then stop driving it hard until it's fixed.
If the engine runs rough as well, get it towed – a chain that jumps further can bend valves.
What usually fixes it
In the order a good shop checks them. Typical total: $113–$2,500 at $130 an hour.
Cam or crank sensor
A failing sensor reports the wrong position even though timing is fine.
Variable cam timing solenoid
A stuck solenoid holds the phaser away from where the computer asked.
Timing chain, tensioner and guides
A stretched chain or worn guides let the cam drift out of time.
What the vehicle can tell you itself
A stored code is a headline, not the story. The vehicle also holds the conditions when it happened, how close the part is to the limit it fails at, what the fuel trims are doing, and whether the fault is still happening right now. Drive DTC reads all of it with a USB adapter and a Windows PC – and it can't change a single setting on the vehicle.
See what your vehicle says about P0016
Codes in plain English, what usually causes them, what the repair costs, and whether it's safe to drive.