P0086 Exhaust Valve Control Solenoid Circuit High, Bank 2

P0086 Exhaust Valve Control Solenoid Circuit High, Bank 2

OBD-II DTC Datasheet

High signal level in the solenoid valve circuit of the exhaust valve control (Bank 2)

What does this mean?

This code is a generic OBD-II powertrain code, which means it applies to all makes and models of vehicles (1996 and newer), although specific repair steps may differ depending on the model.

On vehicles equipped with a variable valve timing (VVT) system, the engine control module / powertrain control module (ECM / PCM) monitors the camshaft position by adjusting the engine oil level with the camshaft position control solenoid. The control solenoid is controlled by a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal from the ECM / PCM. The ECM / PCM monitors this signal and if the voltage is above specification, it sets this DTC and turns on the MIL.

Bank 2 refers to the side of the engine that does not contain cylinder #1 - be sure to check according to the manufacturer's specifications. The exhaust valve control solenoid is usually located on the exhaust manifold side of the cylinder head. This code is similar to codes P0084 and P0085. This code may also be accompanied by P0029.

symptoms

P0086 symptoms may include:

• Check Engine Light (Malfunction Indicator Lamp) is on
• The car can suffer from poor acceleration and reduced fuel consumption.

Possible reasons

Possible reasons may include:

• Bad connection or disconnection of the wiring harness
• Open circuit of the control solenoid
• Short circuit to power
• Defective ECM

Diagnostic steps

Wiring Harness - Check for loose wiring harness connections, corrosion, or loose wires to connectors. Disconnect the harness connectors from the solenoid and PCM, using the wiring diagram, locate the + and - wires to the solenoid. The solenoid may be controlled from the ground side or the power side, depending on the application. Consult factory electrical schematics to determine the power flow in the circuit. Using a digital volt-ohm meter (DVOM) set to the ohms setting, check the resistance between each end of the wire. If the DVOM exceeds the limit, there may be an open in the wiring, a loose connection, or a loose terminal.

Control Solenoid - With the electrical harness disconnected to the solenoid, use a DVOM set to ohms to check the resistance between each of the electrical terminals on the control solenoid itself. Use factory specs or a known good control solenoid if available to determine if there is resistance in the solenoid. If the DVOM shows over limit or very low resistance, the solenoid is likely bad.

Short to Power - Disconnect the harness from the PCM/ECM and locate the wires to the control solenoid. With the DVOM set to the volts scale, connect the negative lead to ground and the positive lead to the wire(s) to the control solenoid. Check for voltage, if present there may be a short to power in the harness. Locate the short to power by disconnecting the harness connectors and testing the wiring back to the solenoid.

PCM/ECM - If all wiring and the control solenoid are good, you will need to monitor the solenoid while the engine is running by checking the wires at the PCM/ECM. Using an advanced scan tool that reads engine functions, monitor the duty cycle set by the control solenoid. You will need to monitor the solenoid while the engine is running at various engine speeds and loads. Using an oscilloscope or graphing multimeter set to the duty cycle scale, connect the negative lead to a known good ground and the positive lead to any wire terminal on the solenoid itself. The multimeter reading should match the duty cycle set on the scan tool. If they are opposite, the polarity may be reversed - connect the positive lead on the other wire terminal to the solenoid and repeat the test to verify. If the signal detected from the PCM is always on, the PCM itself may be faulty.

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