Powertrain, shared range

P3461 Cylinder 8 Exhaust Valve Control Circuit/Open

Check engine lightOn
EmissionsRelevant
Drive cycleNot required
Limp modeNo

In the J2012 scheme, P3461 marks lost continuity to an exhaust-side actuator of its own on cylinder 8. No manufacturer documents this code publicly. In the published sources, cylinder 8 is deactivated only by GM's newer V8s (DFM on the L84 and L87, a fixed 2-3-5-8 pattern on the LTA and LT2), and per NHTSA those engines feed both lifters of a cylinder from one solenoid, leaving no separate exhaust wiring to test. A GM patent application likewise uses one shared hydraulic valve and only staggers the exhaust valves ahead of the intake valves; only a separate exhaust actuator would fall under CARB's continuity check for output components. P3462 to P3464 are the other cylinder 8 exhaust codes, P3457 the intake-side open.

Likely causes

Wire or plug to the cylinder 8 exhaust actuator broken
Exhaust actuator winding open
Control module output defective

Symptoms

  • Check engine lamp on
  • Cylinder deactivation no longer active

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

P3462P3463P3464P3457P3497

References: law.cornell.edu, static.nhtsa.gov, static.nhtsa.gov, patents.google.com.