P0013 Code on a Buick: Exhaust Camshaft Actuator Solenoid Circuit, Bank 1 (Buick Guide)

P0013 on a Buick is "Exhaust Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid Circuit – Bank 1." It is the exhaust-side twin of P0010: an electrical fault in the solenoid that steers oil into the exhaust cam phaser, not a report that the exhaust cam is out of time. That distinction decides whether the fix is a connector pin or an engine teardown. The surprise for Buick owners is that the most-cited P0013 bulletins online — GM's Equinox both-solenoids bulletin and the 2013 Malibu special coverage — do not include a single Buick, so the right path on a LaCrosse, Regal, Enclave or Encore is straight circuit diagnosis.

What Does P0013 Mean on a Buick?

Most Buick engines built in the last fifteen years phase both camshafts. The exhaust cam has its own vane-type phaser (GM calls it the exhaust camshaft position actuator) and its own oil-control solenoid. The engine control module (ECM) pulses that solenoid to move the exhaust cam to the angle it wants.

The ECM also checks its own output. In GM's OBD tables for the 2011 2.4L used in the LaCrosse and Regal, P0013 is described the same way as P0010: it sets when "the commanded state of the driver and the actual state of the control circuit do not match." It runs continuously with system voltage between 11 and 32 volts and, in that table, needs 20 failures out of 25 samples on two trips. Later GM tables word it as a voltage reading outside the controller's limits, indicating an open circuit or a short.

So P0013 is about the coil, connector, terminals and wiring on the exhaust side of bank 1. It does not mean the exhaust cam is retarded or advanced.

On a four-cylinder Buick, bank 1 is the whole engine. On the 3.6L V6 it is the bank with cylinder 1 — the right bank viewed from the flywheel end, which in a transverse Enclave, LaCrosse or Regal sits at the rear, toward the firewall. Bank 2 exhaust on the V6 reports as P0023.

Circuit Code vs Timing Code

GM's tables link the pair: on the 2011 Buick 2.4L, the P0014 performance test is blocked while P0013 is active. The ECM will not judge exhaust cam performance until it knows it can command the solenoid. Diagnose P0013 first.

Oil level, sludge and chain wear matter enormously for P0014 and P0017. They do not normally set a lone P0013. If someone recommends a timing chain for P0013 alone, ask to see the circuit test results.

Which Buicks Can Set P0013

P0013 is listed in GM's published OBD tables for every Buick engine group we checked that has exhaust cam phasing:

• 2.4L Ecotec (LAF, LEA, LUK) — 2010–2016 LaCrosse, 2011–2017 Regal, 2012–2016 Verano.
• 3.6L V6 (LLT, LFX, LGX) — Enclave, LaCrosse, 2018 Regal V6.
• 2.0L turbo (LHU, LTG) and 2.5L (LCV) — Regal, Verano Turbo, Envision.
• 1.4L turbo (LUV, LE2) and 1.6L turbo (LWC) — Encore and Cascada.
• 1.2L and 1.3L turbo (LIH, L3T) and 2.0L (LSY) — Encore GX, Envista, second-generation Envision.

The exception is the pushrod 3800 V6 in older LeSabre, Park Avenue, Century and early LaCrosse models: it has no cam phasing at all, so it cannot set P0013. We did not confirm P0013 in GM's tables for the 2018-and-later 3.6L LFY Enclave; if a scanner shows it there, confirm the descriptor with a GM-capable tool.

What GM Documents Say for Buick

We found no GM bulletin that names P0013 on a Buick. The two documents that do name it cover other brands:

• 17-NA-098 — 2010–2012 Equinox and Terrain 2.4L only. Its instruction to replace both solenoids is not a Buick bulletin, even though the LaCrosse and Regal share the engine.
• Special Coverage 15824 — 2013 Malibu and ATS with the LTG or LCV, for an internal broken wire in the exhaust solenoid. No Buick is listed.

What does apply to Buick:

Emission recall 11195 (August 2011) covered certain 2011 LaCrosse and Regal 2.4L models. The camshaft position actuator solenoid could stick; the dealer reprogrammed the ECM and replaced the solenoid valves. The owner letter lists no DTCs, and a stuck valve is a performance fault, but it is the reason a 2011 2.4L Buick may already have newer solenoids — or may still be owed them.

PI0562F (February 2013) for the 2011–2012 LaCrosse and Regal 2.4L gives the updated part numbers: exhaust solenoid 12655421 (intake 12655420), replacing 12628348 and 12628347. If you are replacing an exhaust solenoid on one of these Buicks after a failed circuit test, that is GM's current part.

PIP5094 applies to every circuit code: check terminal fit and tension before replacing any component.

Where the Exhaust Solenoid Is on Your Buick

• 2.4L LaCrosse, Regal, Verano: on top of the cylinder head at the timing-chain end, beside the intake solenoid. They are different part numbers.
• 3.6L Enclave, LaCrosse: bank 1 is the rear head. GM's labor operations name it "Bank 1 (Right Side) Exhaust."
• 1.3T Encore GX: the electrical part is a camshaft position actuator magnet on the cam cover; the oil valve itself is a solenoid valve bolt in the camshaft nose. GM lists them separately in service update A202304840. A circuit code points at the magnet and its wiring.

Symptoms of P0013

• Check engine light on
• Rough idle or a slight stumble
• Hesitation or flat performance, usually mild
• Poorer fuel economy
• P0010 stored at the same time if the fault is in a shared area
• Often no drivability change at all, because the exhaust phaser parks at its default position

Causes and How to Confirm Each

How Is P0013 Diagnosed?

1. Record every code. P0013 with P0010 points to something shared; P0013 with P0014 means fix the circuit first.
2. Run a VIN check. On a 2011 LaCrosse or Regal 2.4L, confirm recall 11195 was completed.
3. Locate the correct solenoid — on a V6 Buick, the rear-bank exhaust.
4. Inspect and pin-test the connector, per PIP5094.
5. Measure the coil against the service specification.
6. Run an output-control test with a bidirectional scan tool and watch whether the exhaust cam follows.
7. Test the circuits back to the ECM if the solenoid is good.
8. Replace the condemned part, ordered by VIN.
9. Clear and road test through idle, cruise and light acceleration.

Parts and Cost

Order solenoids against your VIN. Intake and exhaust parts look alike and are not interchangeable.

GM Documents Relevant to P0013 on a Buick

No GM bulletin we found names P0013 on a Buick. Have a dealer check your VIN against current bulletins and campaigns rather than relying on any article, including this one.

What Other P0013 Pages Get Wrong

• Applying the Equinox bulletin to a LaCrosse or Regal. 17-NA-098 covers the Equinox and Terrain only.
• Telling Buick owners they are covered by Special Coverage 15824. It lists the 2013 Malibu and ATS, not any Buick.
• Treating P0013 as a timing problem. It is a circuit test; timing faults set P0014 and P0017.
• Calling the solenoid a cam sensor. The exhaust cam sensor codes are P0365 and P0366.
• Working on the wrong bank of a V6. Bank 1 on a transverse Buick 3.6L is the rear bank.
• Swapping intake and exhaust solenoids to test. They are different parts with different numbers.

For the Chevrolet side of this code, including the Equinox both-solenoids bulletin, see P0013 on the Chevy Equinox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is P0013 serious on a Buick?

Usually not urgent. The exhaust phaser typically parks in a safe default position, so many Buicks drive almost normally. It still needs fixing: the check engine light will fail an emissions inspection and can mask a second fault.

Can low oil cause P0013?

Not by itself. Oil affects whether the cam can move, which sets P0014. P0013 is an electrical test of the solenoid circuit. Check the oil anyway, because it matters for the companion codes.

Do I need to replace both cam solenoids on my Buick 2.4L?

GM's both-solenoids instruction is in 17-NA-098, which covers only the Equinox and Terrain. On a LaCrosse, Regal or Verano, replace what testing condemns. If you do replace solenoids on a 2011–2012, GM's updated numbers are 12655420 (intake) and 12655421 (exhaust).

What's the difference between P0013 and P0010?

Same test, other camshaft. P0010 is the intake solenoid circuit; P0013 is the exhaust. Both at once suggest a shared cause such as a connector area, supply circuit or two aging solenoids.

Where is the exhaust cam solenoid on a Buick Enclave?

The 3.6L has four solenoids. P0013 is bank 1 exhaust, on the rear head of the transverse Enclave. Bank 2 exhaust reports as P0023.

Is P0013 covered under warranty?

We found no Buick special coverage for P0013. It is handled under whatever powertrain or emissions warranty still applies to your vehicle. A free dealer VIN check will show any open campaign, including recall 11195 on a 2011 2.4L.

Can I clear P0013 and keep driving?

You can, but the circuit is checked continuously, so a real fault returns quickly. Clear it only to confirm a repair.