Powertrain, shared range

P3496 Cylinder 12 Exhaust Valve Control Circuit High

Check engine lightOn
EmissionsRelevant
Drive cycleNot required
Limp modeNo

P3496 is the final code of the per-cylinder valve block: it marks the cylinder 12 exhaust valve control circuit as too high, typically a short to battery voltage or a coil with shorted turns. No manufacturer documents this code publicly; J2012 reserves the codes for cylinders 9 to 12 for engines with more than eight cylinders. Bentley built its last W12 in 2024 after describing a shut-off that idles one bank of six under part or trailing throttle, and the Lamborghini Aventador V12 shut one bank below 135 km/h; neither documents an exhaust actuator for cylinder 12. The clearest public account of exhaust valves following their own switching sequence remains a GM patent. Should the code appear, the module will disable deactivation. P3493 (open) and P3495 (low) complete the set, P3497 is the bank 2 system code.

Likely causes

Exhaust actuator wire of cylinder 12 shorted to battery voltage
Shorted turns in the exhaust actuator coil
Engine control module output damaged

Symptoms

  • Check engine lamp on
  • Cylinder shut-off 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

P3493P3494P3495P3492P3497

References: law.cornell.edu, bentleymedia.com, newatlas.com, patents.google.com.