Powertrain, shared range

P3445 Cylinder 6 Exhaust Valve Control Circuit/Open

Check engine lightOn
EmissionsRelevant
Drive cycleNot required
Limp modeNo

P3445 is defined for a break in the wiring of a stand-alone actuator that would control the exhaust valves of cylinder 6. No manufacturer documents this code publicly. The engines that deactivate cylinder 6 today, GM's AFM and DFM V8s and Chrysler's Hemi with MDS, publish only intake-side codes for this cylinder (P3441, and at GM also P3443 and P3444). NHTSA's description of GM's DFM hardware explains why: a single solenoid per cylinder sends oil to the intake and the exhaust lifters alike, which then unlock one after the other. An engine with its own exhaust-side actuators would have to check their wiring for continuity under CARB's rules for output components, and that is the fault this code names. P3446 to P3448 complete the exhaust group.

Likely causes

Broken wire or loose connector at the cylinder 6 exhaust actuator
Actuator coil interrupted
Output stage in the control module faulty

Symptoms

  • Check engine lamp on
  • Cylinder deactivation disabled

Repair estimate

DifficultyMediumDIY possible
Parts and labour€60–900
Time0.5–4 h

Typical range across vehicles; the real cost depends on what the testing finds.

Parts involved

cylinder deactivation solenoidwiring harnessecm

Related codes

P3446P3447P3448P3441P3497

References: law.cornell.edu, static.nhtsa.gov, static.nhtsa.gov.