P0344: Camshaft Position Sensor A Circuit Intermittent Bank 1 or Single Sensor
A generic powertrain (engine and transmission) trouble code, same meaning on every brand.
Locally and briefly - an intermittent cam sensor A is a stall generator, and on many engines sensor A matters even more than B. Repeated stalls mean park it.
Symptoms
- Random stalling with restart
- Long cranking
- Misfire-like stumbles
- Light comes and goes
Likely causes, most common first
- Cam sensor A intermittent, commonly heat-related
- Wiring chafe or connector fault
- Interference from failing ignition components on some engines
- Reluctor or tone wheel issue
Read P0344 yourself before paying for diagnosis
A basic Bluetooth OBD-II scanner ($20-40) plugs into the port under the dashboard and shows this code with live sensor data on your phone - useful both for confirming the fix and for talking to a shop from an informed position.
What is going on and how it gets diagnosed
P0344 reports dropouts on camshaft sensor A - on single-sensor engines, the only cam signal the computer has. Its story mirrors P0369: heat- and vibration-dependent, prone to vanishing at the worst moments and hiding at the shop.
One extra angle applies to sensor A on some engine families: its wiring often runs near ignition components, and a breaking-down coil or plug wire can spray electrical noise that corrupts the cam signal without the sensor being at fault. An engine that sets this code together with misfires deserves an ignition inspection before a second sensor goes in. As with the whole cam sensor family, the practical risk is stalling - plan driving accordingly until the cause is found.
Repair options and cost
Typical US independent-shop ranges, parts and labor. Dealers run higher; regional labor rates vary.
Owner reports mentioning P0344
“.2016 F-150 Ford Truck. Purchased from a used car dealership. While driving the truck on a freeway at about 40 MPH, accelerated to 55 MPH and changed lanes. Engine went into limp mode. Check engine light flashed. Started to deaccelerate. Moved vehicle over to shoulder. Fault codes: P0340, P0344, P0365, P0369. This truck has a 2.7L EcoBoost engine. Mileage is about 130,000. Two mechanics from different companies evaluated and found timing chain broke and sheared the keyway on the crank shaft where the timing sprocket is located. There was not prior warning to indicate any issues.”2016 Ford F-150 · Mar 2026
“Engine codes p0340 and p0344 chrysler campaign e05 replace opda and camshaft - my manufacture date is june 2005, there is 113k on the engine, when the weather is cold (40 f or below) the engine has long start issues, there is play in the opda enough to put the engine in limp mode not revving past 2500rpm. For sure this needs a new camshaft and new opda, both gears are worn. The chrysler campaign only cover up to a feb 2005 manufacture. This should be considered for additional manufacture dates with multiple complaints on NHTSA about this issue.”2005 Jeep Wrangler · Sep 2016 · 113,000 mi
“As I begin to pull into heavy traffic, I hear and see the check engine light warning along with the skid control light illuminating. The car then stalls leaving me sitting in 70 mph traffic. The vehicle starts back up but has a noticeable loss of power. This loss of power continued until I got home. When I finally get home I use a code reader which indicated it was a camshaft position sensor. Code p0344. This could have been a much worse incident as there were no mechanical issues leading up to this.”2013 Jeep Wrangler · Sep 2015 · 35,684 mi
Show 3 more owner reports
“Had two occasions in the past 12 months where as I'm driving along, the engine shut off and was barely able to keep car from colliding with other vehicles on road. Most recently, I experienced a 3rd incident where while driving at approx 30 mph, all warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle lost power and was unable to accelerate. Pulled over and shut off car. And tried to restart. Engine started but was in 'limp' mode and had codes in computer. Had car towed to mechanic and they stated codes p0344 , p0340 & b1a35 present. Advised that motor now has a knock in it and would need an entire replacement.”2008 Chrysler 300 · Sep 2014 · 115,000 mi
“Diagnostics show code p0344 cam shaft position sensor. It was repaired under recall j18 in aug 09. Called bob moore dealership (completed recall work) & chrysler recall line. They both say won't repair under original recall. This is the same exact part/problem. Is there any way to get them to honor this? My cruise control shuts itself off, lights dim, and fails to start on occasion.”2004 Chrysler 300M · Jun 2011
“1. No events leading up to failure. 2. Repeat of prior event. Driving car, car shuts off while driving and stalls. Engine light comes on and stays on. 3. Dealer said if engine light is constant, it is ok to drive it to be serviced. Dealer found one code-code p0344 cam sensor circuit. Has problem with sensor itself. Replaced sensor.*jb”2004 Dodge Intrepid · Nov 2004 · 16,000 mi
Cars that report P0344 most often
Based on mentions of this code in NHTSA owner complaints.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drive with P0344?
Locally and briefly - an intermittent cam sensor A is a stall generator, and on many engines sensor A matters even more than B. Repeated stalls mean park it.
How much does it cost to fix P0344?
Typical US repair costs range from $80 for the simplest fix (camshaft position sensor) to $250 in the worst case. The right number depends on which cause your car has - see the causes list.
Related codes
The codes closest to P0344. They often appear together, and telling them apart is usually what narrows the diagnosis.
Definition per SAE J2012 standard nomenclature. Symptoms, causes and costs are editorial guidance - always confirm with a diagnosis of your specific vehicle.