Bank 2 cam sensor circuit fault.
P0345 — also written PO345, P 0345, 0345 — is the OBD-II code for camshaft position sensor a (bank 2) — circuit malfunction. Same code, same fix: this page covers every spelling of it.
This is a electrical 'disconnect' between the Bank 2 cam sensor and the ECU, usually found on V6 or V8 engines where the sensor is buried at the back of the cylinder head. On UK roads, we see this most on older Nissan Z-cars and Jaguar XFs.
P0345 is a sensors fault code, typically costing £90–£400 to put right in a UK garage.
What P0345 actually feels like to drive
- The car 'hunts' or stutters when you're trying to pull away from a junction.
- Engine cranks for a long time—sometimes 5 or 6 seconds—before it finally fires up.
- Random stalling when you dip the clutch coming up to a roundabout.
- Noticeable loss of 'oomph' when overtaking, like the car is in a soft limp mode.
- The 'Check Engine' light is glowing, but the car feels 90% normal once it's actually running.
What causes P0345?
- Failed sensor
- Wiring fault
UK vehicles that throw P0345 most often
- Nissan 350Z / 370Z (VQ35/VQ37) 2003-2015
- Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Petrol 2008-2012
- Land Rover Discovery 3/4 2.7 & 3.0 TDV6 (Bank 2 is Passenger Side)
- Volkswagen Touareg 3.2 V6 2004-2007
- BMW 3 Series (E46/E90) 325i/330i (M54/N52 engines)
- Audi A6 3.0 TDI 2006-2011
How P0345 is fixed
- Replace sensor
- Repair wiring
The P0345 misdiagnosis that wastes money
I see too many lads jump straight to a new sensor or, worse, a full timing chain kit because they assume the timing's jumped. On these V6 engines, especially the JLR 3.0 units, we often see it’s actually a corroded earth wire or a pin that's backed out of the connector. I’ve seen people throw £1,500 at a chain job only for P0345 to pop back up on the first start because the real issue was a £20 bit of loom that’s been rubbing against the lift eye.
What a UK garage should charge for P0345
At an independent garage, a diagnostic plug-in is usually £50 to £80. A genuine Bosch or Denso sensor will set you back £60 to £120 depending on the car—don't buy the £15 eBay specials, they never work. Labour is the kicker; on a V6 Jaguar, it's a 20-minute job, but on some Audis, you’re digging deep. Expect to pay £180–£250 all-in at a local shop. If you head to a Main Dealer, you won't see change from £450 once they’ve added their 'premium' labour rates and VAT.
P0345 repair cost in the UK
Most P0345 repairs land between £90–£400 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 P0345
If you're taking this to a garage, ask them to 'scope the signal' rather than just reading the code. A proper tech will use an oscilloscope to see if the sensor is actually sending a square wave to the ECU. If they tell you 'the computer says sensor, so we change sensor,' walk away. Also, check your battery health; on the Nissan 350Z and 370Z, a dying battery during cranking can drop the voltage just enough to trip this code, even if the sensor is perfect.
Can you drive with P0345?
Yes.
Urgency: medium.