P0010 Code: Intake Camshaft Actuator Solenoid Circuit, Bank 1 (Chevrolet Guide)

P0010 on a Chevrolet is "Intake Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid Control Circuit, Bank 1." It is an electrical code: the engine computer told the intake cam phaser solenoid to switch, checked the circuit, and the circuit did not respond the way it should. That is a different problem from the timing-performance codes it is usually lumped in with, and it changes what gets tested first. GM has also documented this exact code on the 2.4L Equinox and the 2013 Malibu — one of those documents is a special coverage, and the other tells technicians to replace both solenoids, not just the one that set the code.

What Does P0010 Mean?

Modern Chevrolet engines change camshaft timing while you drive. On the overhead-cam Ecotec four-cylinders (2.4L, 2.5L, 2.0T, 1.4T and 1.5T) and the 3.6L V6, each camshaft has a vane-type phaser on its front end. Engine oil is steered into that phaser by a small electric oil-control solenoid, and the engine computer (ECM) pulses the solenoid to advance or retard the cam.

The ECM also watches its own output. GM's setting condition is plain: the code sets when the commanded state of the driver and the actual state of the control circuit do not match. Later GM tables describe it as voltage being high while the driver is off — which indicates a short to power or an open circuit.

So P0010 says nothing about where the camshaft actually is. It says the wire, connector or solenoid coil on the intake side of bank 1 has an electrical problem.

On a four-cylinder, "bank 1" is simply the engine — there is only one bank. On the 3.6L V6, GM's bulletins name bank 1 as the right side of the engine viewed from the flywheel end, which matters when you are standing at the fender trying to find the right connector.

A Circuit Code, Not a Timing Code

This is the distinction that saves the most money, so it gets its own section.

Low oil, sludge and a stretched timing chain cause plenty of cam codes, but they do not normally set P0010 on their own, because P0010 is a circuit test. If someone quotes you a timing chain for a lone P0010, ask what test led them there.

Where it gets muddier: a solenoid can fail electrically and mechanically at the same time, so P0010 sometimes arrives alongside P0011. Treat the electrical code first. A cam that cannot be commanded will obviously fail its performance test too.

Which Chevrolets Set P0010

Any GM engine with an electrically controlled intake cam phaser can set P0010. The Chevrolet applications with GM documentation behind them are narrower:

• 2010–2012 Equinox with the 2.4L (LAF/LEA) — named in GM bulletin 17-NA-098, along with the GMC Terrain.
• 2011 Equinox 2.4L — covered by voluntary emission recall 11195A for a sticking cam actuator solenoid (the recall letter does not list DTC numbers).
• 2013 Malibu with the 2.0T (LTG) or 2.5L (LCV) — named in Special Coverage 15824, along with the 2013 Cadillac ATS.

Pages online also list P0010 for the 3.6L Traverse, the 1.4T Cruze and the 5.3L trucks. The code certainly can set on those engines, but we found no GM bulletin naming P0010 for them, so treat those as general applications rather than known patterns.

On the small-block V8s (5.3L, 6.2L) there is a single camshaft with one phaser, controlled by a solenoid valve behind the front cover area. GM's labor time for replacing that valve on 2014–2015 trucks is over five hours, which tells you it is not a driveway job.

What GM's Bulletins Say

Bulletin 17-NA-098 (March 2017) covers 2010–2012 Equinox and Terrain with the 2.4L. Its title names four codes — P0010, P0011, P0013 and P0014 — and the complaint list is engine runs rough, hesitates, hard to start or stalls. GM's correction is to replace both the intake and exhaust actuator solenoid valves, then confirm the ECM has the latest software. Parts listed: intake solenoid 12655420 and exhaust solenoid 12655421.

Replacing both at once is GM's instruction, not an upsell. The two solenoids are the same design, live in the same oil and have the same mileage.

Special Coverage 15824 covers the 2013 Malibu (2.0T and 2.5L) and 2013 ATS. GM traced P0010 and P0013 to an internal broken wire in the solenoid and extended coverage to 10 years or 120,000 miles. Parts: intake 12662736, exhaust 12662737. Those terms run from the original in-service date, so for a 2013 model they have now passed for practical purposes — but the bulletin still identifies the failure, and a VIN check with a dealer is free.

Emission recall 11195A (August 2011) covered 2011 Equinox, Terrain, LaCrosse and Regal 2.4L engines whose cam actuator solenoid could stick, causing the check engine light, rough idle and possible stalling. The repair was an ECM reprogram plus new solenoid valves. Emission recalls do not expire the way special coverages do, so if a 2011 2.4L has never had it done, that is worth asking about.

PIP5094, a general GM instruction, applies to every circuit code including this one: check terminal fit and tension before replacing any component. A spread female terminal can produce exactly the mismatch P0010 looks for.

Symptoms of P0010

• Check engine light on
• Rough or unstable idle
• Hesitation or reduced power, especially at low rpm
• Hard starting or stalling — specifically named in GM's 2.4L bulletin
• Poorer fuel economy
• P0011 or P0013 stored alongside
• Sometimes no drivability change at all if the solenoid fails in its default position

Causes and How to Confirm Each

Aftermarket sources quote a coil resistance of roughly 8–13 ohms for many GM cam solenoids. That is not a GM figure, so use your engine's service specification where you can get it.

How Is P0010 Diagnosed?

1. Record every code, current and history. P0010 with P0013 points at both solenoids or a shared supply; P0010 with P0011 means fix the electrical fault before chasing performance.
2. Check your VIN for open campaigns. On a 2011 2.4L, ask about emission recall 11195A.
3. Find the right solenoid. On the 2.4L both sit at the top front of the head; on the 3.6L, bank 1 is the right side viewed from the flywheel end.
4. Inspect and pin-test the connector before anything else, per PIP5094.
5. Measure solenoid resistance and compare against the service specification.
6. Run an output control test with a bidirectional scan tool and watch whether the cam angle follows the command.
7. Test the circuits between the solenoid and the ECM if the solenoid itself checks out.
8. On a 2010–2012 2.4L, follow 17-NA-098: replace both solenoids and verify the ECM software.
9. Clear the code and road test through idle, light cruise and acceleration so the monitor runs again.

Parts and Cost

Order solenoids against your VIN. Intake and exhaust solenoids look alike but carry different part numbers, and GM supersedes numbers over time.

GM Documents That Name P0010

Have a dealer check your VIN against current bulletins and campaigns rather than relying on any article, including this one.

What Other P0010 Pages Get Wrong

• Treating it as a timing or oil code. P0010 is a circuit test. Oil and chain problems set P0011, P0014, P0016 and P0017 — not a lone P0010.
• Calling the solenoid a "camshaft position sensor." Several popular write-ups of GM's own bulletins make this mistake. The sensor reads the cam; the solenoid moves it. They are different parts with different codes (P0340 family for the sensor).
• Replacing only the solenoid that set the code on a 2.4L. GM's bulletin says replace both.
• Skipping the terminal check. GM's own pre-diagnosis instruction is to check pin fit and tension before condemning a part.
• Ignoring the software step. 17-NA-098 and recall 11195A both include the ECM. A part fitted to an out-of-date calibration is not the complete GM repair.
• Using the generic definition. The SAE name "'A' Camshaft Position Actuator Circuit" does not tell a Chevy owner that "A" is the intake side. GM's wording does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is P0010 serious?

It is rarely an emergency, but it is not one to ignore. With the intake phaser uncontrolled the engine can idle rough, hesitate and — per GM's own 2.4L bulletin — stall. Get it diagnosed promptly, especially if stalling is part of the picture.

Can low oil cause P0010?

Not normally on its own. Low or dirty oil affects whether the cam can move, which sets the performance code P0011. P0010 is an electrical check of the solenoid circuit. Check your oil anyway — it is free and it matters for the companion codes.

Do I need to replace both cam solenoids?

On a 2010–2012 Equinox or Terrain 2.4L, GM's bulletin 17-NA-098 says yes — replace the intake and exhaust solenoids together and check the ECM software. On other engines, replace what testing condemns.

Is P0010 covered under warranty?

The 2013 Malibu 2.0T/2.5L had Special Coverage 15824 for this exact code, at 10 years or 120,000 miles from in-service, which has now passed for practical purposes. A 2011 Equinox 2.4L may still have emission recall 11195A open. A dealer VIN check answers both for free.

What's the difference between P0010 and P0013?

Same test, other camshaft. P0010 is the intake solenoid circuit; P0013 is the exhaust solenoid circuit. Both together suggest a shared cause — a supply circuit, a connector, or two solenoids of the same age failing.

Where is the intake cam solenoid on a Chevy 2.4L?

On top of the cylinder head at the timing-chain end, with the intake and exhaust solenoids side by side. Parts suppliers describe the intake solenoid as the one with the gray connector — confirm against the service information for your engine before unplugging anything.

Can I clear P0010 and keep driving?

You can clear it, but it will return once the ECM re-runs its circuit check, which is continuous. Clearing is useful only to confirm a repair.