Cam sensor signal not matching expected pattern.
P0341 — also written PO341, P 0341, 0341 — is the OBD-II code for camshaft position sensor range/performance. Same code, same fix: this page covers every spelling of it.
Camshaft position sensor circuit range or performance — on chain-driven UK engines P0341 is very rarely a duff sensor. It's the ECU telling you the cam is out of phase with the crank because the timing chain has stretched. Fitting a £60 sensor buys a week of relief before a bent-valve bill. Bob's 32 years on the tools rule: on any modern turbo petrol or diesel, treat P0341 as a chain code until proven otherwise.
P0341 is a sensors fault code, typically costing £80–£1500 to put right in a UK garage.
What P0341 actually feels like to drive
- Engine cranks noticeably longer than usual before catching — especially hot restarts after a shop stop
- Loud metallic rattle for the first 2–4 seconds of a cold start (the classic 'death rattle')
- Rough lumpy idle at traffic lights, sometimes stalls when you dip the clutch
- Turbo feels lazy or flat below 2,000 RPM — ECU has retarded timing to protect the valvetrain
- Stop/Start stops working (ECU disables it once cam adaptation drifts past spec)
- MPG drops 3–6 mpg with no other obvious cause
- P0011 / P0014 / P0016 / P0335 often stored alongside — that combination is chain, not sensor
What causes P0341?
- Sensor failure
- Timing chain wear
UK vehicles that throw P0341 most often
- BMW 1/3/5 Series 2.0d N47 (2007–2014) — rear-mounted chain, engine-out job
- BMW X3/X5 3.0d N57 — same rear-chain design as N47
- Mini Cooper / Cooper S 1.6 N14/N18 Prince engine — 'death rattle' from cold
- Peugeot 208 / 308 / 3008 1.6 THP (shared Prince engine) — chain wear
- Vauxhall Astra J / Corsa E / Adam / Mokka 1.4 Turbo A14NET — chain stretch epidemic
- VW Golf / Polo / Audi A1 / A3 1.2 & 1.4 TSI EA111 — chain tensioner failure
- Audi A4 / A6 2.0 TFSI EA888 gen 2 — cam adjuster and chain wear
- Ford Fiesta / Focus 1.0 EcoBoost — oil-immersed 'wet belt' shedding rubber
- Nissan Qashqai / Micra 1.2 DIG-T (HRA2DDT) — chain stretch
How P0341 is fixed
- Sensor replacement
- Timing chain inspection
The P0341 misdiagnosis that wastes money
The most expensive misdiagnosis in the UK independent trade: cheap garages fit a £60 camshaft sensor for P0341, the light goes out for a week, and the car comes back with a bent-valve engine. On a BMW N47, a Mini Prince, a Vauxhall A14NET, a VAG 1.2/1.4 TSI or a Ford 1.0 EcoBoost the sensor is almost NEVER the fault — it's reporting an accurate mechanical timing drift. Bob's rule: before authorising any P0341 sensor replacement, INSIST the garage reads 'Camshaft Adaptation' or 'Phase Position' on a manufacturer-level scan tool (INPA/ISTA on BMW, VCDS on VAG, IDS on Ford). Under 2 degrees the chain may be fine, 3–5 degrees marginal, over 5 degrees the chain is finished and the sensor code is a symptom, not the cause. Second misdiagnosis: replacing the VVT solenoid without cleaning it first — worth a clean on a VAG or Vauxhall engine, but if cam adaptation is out of spec the solenoid isn't the fault. Third: on Ford 1.0 EcoBoost, P0341 is even more urgent — the wet belt has shed rubber into the oil pickup and jumping teeth is imminent. That's a trailer-it-in job, not a drive-it-in job.
What a UK garage should charge for P0341
UK independent garage: diagnostic + cam-adaptation live read £60–£100 (this is the appointment that saves the money). Camshaft position sensor £45–£140 fitted if genuinely at fault. VVT solenoid clean £45–£90. VVT solenoid replacement £120–£280. Full timing chain kit (chain, tensioner, guides, sprockets, seals) on 1.2/1.4 TSI Golf £600–£950 fitted with Genuine / INA / Febi parts. BMW N47 rear-chain replacement (engine-and-gearbox separation required) £1,400–£2,200 indie, £2,500–£3,500 main dealer. Mini Prince chain kit £700–£1,000 fitted. Vauxhall A14NET chain kit £550–£850. Ford 1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt + oil-pump job £700–£1,100. Nissan HRA2DDT chain kit £900–£1,400. Never fit unbranded eBay chain kits — the plastic guides fail again inside 20,000 miles.
P0341 repair cost in the UK
Most P0341 repairs land between £80–£1500 including parts and labour. The spread is wide because the cheap fix (a sensor, a hose, a leak) and the expensive fix (a major component) throw the same code — which is why a proper diagnosis before parts are bought saves the most money.
Bob's tip on P0341
Bob's real workshop test for P0341 in 5 seconds: cold-start the car first thing in the morning with the bonnet up. A rapid 'sewing machine' rattle for 2–4 seconds that fades as oil pressure builds = chain stretch, not a sensor. On a BMW N47 with P0341, do NOT drive it another mile — the rear-mounted chain is a bear to change but a jumped tooth on that engine bends every valve and writes the engine off. On a Ford 1.0 EcoBoost with P0341, pull the oil filler cap and inspect for black rubber fragments in the oil — visible debris means the wet belt is shedding and you're days away from catastrophic failure. On VAG 1.2/1.4 TSI, always fit an updated tensioner (part number ending -F or later) — the original tensioner is the failure point that started the chain stretch in the first place. And on Vauxhall A14NET, budget for the intake manifold at the same time because half of these cars store P0341 alongside P0171. If you're unsure whether your P0341 is a £60 sensor or a £1,800 chain, you can <a href="/ask-a-mechanic-uk?code=P0341">Ask Bob about your P0341</a> for £14.99 with your make, model and mileage — cheaper than one wrong part.
Can you drive with P0341?
Avoid hard driving.
Urgency: high.