P0077: Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit High Bank 1

A solenoid valve on the cylinder head controls oil flow for the variable valve control on the intake side of bank 1. Depending on the manufacturer it drives a camshaft phaser (for example on Nissan engines) or a valve lift changeover (for example on Subaru engines). This code family reports electrical faults in its control circuit; P0077 means the voltage in the control circuit is too high, typically a short to battery voltage. Other manufacturers report the same valve under the "camshaft position actuator" codes instead. Valve control is then switched off or stays in its base position.

Bank 1 is the side of the engine with cylinder 1. Inline engines only have this bank.

Symptoms

• Check engine light on
• Less power, especially at high engine speed with lift changeover
• Rough idle possible
• Follow-up codes for camshaft timing or misfire possible

Most likely causes

• Control wire shorted to battery voltage
• Solenoid coil faulty
• Water or corrosion in the connector
• Output driver in the engine control module faulty

What to check, in order

Start with the simplest. You can tick off each step.

1. Check the oil level and condition before anything else
2. Check the sensor's ground and make sure the signal wire is not receiving voltage from another circuit.
3. Check the solenoid valve's connector
4. Compare commanded and actual angles in live data
5. Test the solenoid valve and its filter, if it has one
6. Check the engine timing if there is chain noise

Good to know

• Repair difficulty: medium
• It affects emissions.

What each character of P0077 means

• P: Powertrain: engine and transmission
• 0: Generic code: same on every make
• 0: Subsystem depends on the code range
• 77: Specific fault in that system

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with code P0077?

Drive little and gently. If you hear timing chain noise or the oil light comes on, shut off the engine.

What causes code P0077?

The most common causes are: control wire shorted to battery voltage; solenoid coil faulty; water or corrosion in the connector.

Related codes

• P0075Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit Bank 1
• P0076Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit Low Bank 1
• P0083Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit High Bank 2
• P0026Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit Range/Performance (Bank 1)
• P0010"A" Camshaft Position Actuator Circuit (Bank 1)

Sources

• law.cornell.edu: 13 CCR 1968.2
• en.wikipedia.org: Active valve lift system
• en.wikipedia.org: Variable valve timing

Values and procedures vary by manufacturer. If it affects brakes, steering, fuel or high voltage, see a professional. Updated: 2026-11-04. How we build these pages.