2010 chevy equinox 3.0 camshaft position sensor location

I am getting a P0017, it went off after a bit but it looks like the code will not go away when I look at it with the scanner. The light is off, so I do not know if it is waiting to come back on, or turn off.

I get some B2AAA codes too. Should I get a better scanner?

Anyways, anyone know the first step to figuring this out?

P0017 - Exhaust Camshaft Position not Plausible.

That means that the exhaust camshaft is way out of wack with the crankshaft. The computer monitors their position and when it is not with in spec it sets that code. I am not thinking a stretched timing chain because it is only on one cam, if that chain was stretched you would most likely also have a P0016 (intake cam). I have seen the actuator valve get internally stuck and make the cam full retard and full advance. The valve has one bolt on the side of the block, and it is very easy to get out. This is bank 1 so it is the bank of cylinders on the rear of the engine. Also less likely is the recultor wheel on the crank has slipped and is causing timing to be off. That is 99% not the case because if it was you would have codes for all banks. The valve is P/N - 12636175. The camshaft position sensor is not likely bad because there are no codes for the sensor. Don't replace the position sensor, it is most likely working just fine, as it is reporting the misalignment. I am willing to bet the actuator valve is the problem, I have seen this happen many times. Diagram is below.

Thanks for the information! It is exactly what I needed. I figured it would be the actuator but did not have enough information to do any diagnostic.

I figured it could have been stuck and when I gassed it, it may have got unstuck a bit. I am going to replace, I just replaced one of these on a trailbalzer.

Can you help me understand something?:

How many actuator valves are on this vehicle? Is there a Camshaft one and crankshaft one? Looking in the service manual it looked like there were 4.....

on trailblazer--- screens get clogged?

rbarrios said:

on trailblazer--- screens get clogged?

In the trailblazer the unit was bad, oil was leaking out of the back of it...now that you asked this question....are there two on the trailblazer too? It looks like it only has a camshaft actuator...not a crankshaft actuator too.

The funny part is, the engine was running like a freaking diesel, no code ever came up. I went to clean the screens in it for the heck of it and it had oil coming out of the back of it which is one of the signs that it is bad.

Replaced it.

I dont know the answer.
so far 176,000 on our Trailblazer and no issues with the factory sensor.

rbarrios said:

I dont know the answer.
so far 176,000 on our Trailblazer and no issues with the factory sensor.

It is not the sensor, but the actuator.

no issues with those items.

Let me clarify.. The actuator is bolted to the camshaft, this is not what we are after. The actuator valve is what controls the oil flow to the actuator, this is what we are after here. This engine has 4 actuators and valves because it is a DOHC V6 with 4 cams. There is no actuator system for the crank only the valvetrain.

So I replaced the one that is at the rear of the engine by the firewall passenger side and I still have the same issues. I did not clear the code, but it goes off for a bit and comes back.

Any more suggestions? Are you sure it is the bank one?

First clear the code with a scan tool and drive it for a bit, these are Type B DTC's so you need to do at least two drives to confirm it is fixed. You replaced the correct one. I would swap the new one with the intake cam valve. Clear the DTC and see if there is now an Intake DTC (P0016). Just trying to rule out a bad valve. If P0017 still exists, swap the cam sensors around to see if there is a problem there. If the problem follows the cam sensor, then replace the sensor.

If none of the above does not fix it:

The timing chain may have jumped a tooth on the exhaust cam, worn timing chain, problem with the chain tensioners. Then we have narrowed it down to a mechanical problem in the timing system.

Can you post the freeze frame data from your scan tool?

I have a feeling my software is out of date to clear codes and gather info. I have an ELM usb adapter, any recommendations on what software to use with it.

I have some other software I am going to test but this ProScan stuff seems out of date.

I think I am going to have to take it in. I replace the exhaust camshaft sensor just to see if it was bad, but nothing. The code just will not go away now and I do not have a proper scanner or scanner software.

webdawg said:

I think I am going to have to take it in. I replace the exhaust camshaft sensor just to see if it was bad, but nothing. The code just will not go away now and I do not have a proper scanner or scanner software.

I would have replaced the valve first before the sensor. Have never seen a sensor fail yet, but I have seen the valves fail.

I did replace the valve. The valve on the back of the engine towards the firewall on the passengers side. Nothing.

I did the same to the cam sensor just to try.

Are we sure I am working on the right valve with a P0017. It had no effect when I changed it. It is the one in the diagram. I suppose I can take the old valve and put it in the place of the other valve towards the front of the car. Just to see but previous posters sounded pretty confident.

I need a recommendation for a good scanner or better elm software that can clear all these codes, the pending, the active, etc. The proscan software I am using does nothing. Shuts the light off and all the codes are still there dammit. I cannot pull freeze frame data, nothing. I have a USB ELM device.

If it makes any difference, I had a bad catalytic converter on this same bank that was just replaced by the dealer about 6 months ago at about 100k.

I just replaced all the valves for the heck of it. No change.

We have had the same problem with only 136,000 kms. , after talking to several mechanics, we finally had to take it to the dealer and have the timing chain replaced. There are faulty parts, but they won't do a recall on it yet, not enough of them have an issue (from different forums there seems to be a lot of this!). Please call GM Customer care and complain and maybe the will do a recall. GM will cover some of the Equinoxes, it depends on which factory it was made in. it is VIN specific. Mine wasn't covered. Almost $2,000 later the code P0420 came on, which means the Catalytic Converter needs replacing, as the engine wasn't burning properly, because the timing was off and it has now plugged up. So, approx. another $1,000. According to the Dealer, this is a standard issue with the timing chain failure. To top it all off, the rear bearing in the transfer case has gone. There are 2 transfer cases, one that the bearing can be replaced and the other in which it can't.. guess which one I have? You guess it, the non-replaceable one! Luckiy I have found a used one at $550 + labour. This all has happened within 3 weeks.. My advice to you if you own a 2010 Equinox and have no codes.. SELL IT!!!

Took it to the dealer and they want to camshaft (potentially) parts and timing (defiantly) chain. Quoted me about 2.3k to replace the chain.

I do not know if the service guy knew what he was talking about though, he was saying the entire camshaft may need replaced.

They did the $100 diagnostic and then wanted another $500 dollars to take it apart and diagnose more. I am just going to pay them to fix it instead because paying $500 to take something apart, not fix it, and put it back together is stupid.

Anyone have any ideas on what would need to be replaced to fix this considering all the sensors and camshaft actuator solenoid valves are fine?

At this point can it not just be a bad Camshaft Position Actuator?

HFV6 said:

First clear the code with a scan tool and drive it for a bit, these are Type B DTC's so you need to do at least two drives to confirm it is fixed. You replaced the correct one. I would swap the new one with the intake cam valve. Clear the DTC and see if there is now an Intake DTC (P0016). Just trying to rule out a bad valve. If P0017 still exists, swap the cam sensors around to see if there is a problem there. If the problem follows the cam sensor, then replace the sensor.

If none of the above does not fix it:

The timing chain may have jumped a tooth on the exhaust cam, worn timing chain, problem with the chain tensioners. Then we have narrowed it down to a mechanical problem in the timing system.

Can you post the freeze frame data from your scan tool?

Why could it not be a bad actuator?