P0342 — Camshaft Position Sensor A Circuit Low (Bank 1 or Single Sensor)
High severityWhat it means
P0342 is stored when the engine control unit sees a fault involving the camshaft position (CMP) sensor circuit. The camshaft position sensor lets the control unit identify which cylinder is on its firing stroke, which is needed for sequential injection and ignition. A “low” reading means the signal is stuck near the bottom of its range, which usually points to a short to ground or an internally failed sensor.
Common symptoms
- The live reading sits abnormally low or at zero
- Hard starting or long cranking
- Stalling or misfire
- Reduced power
Likely causes
- Signal wire shorted to ground
- Internally failed sensor pulling the signal low
- Faulty camshaft position sensor
- Timing chain/belt wear or a VVT issue affecting cam timing
What to check first
- Compare the live signal against a known-good range and check for a short to ground
- Inspect the sensor connector and wiring
- Check for cam/crank correlation codes and timing noise
Can you keep driving?
May cause hard starting or stalling; if it runs poorly or makes timing noise, avoid driving until checked.
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