P3428: Cylinder 4 Deactivation/Intake Valve Control Circuit High

The engine control module has detected a high-side voltage fault (short to power) on the cylinder 4 deactivation or intake valve solenoid circuit. Cylinder deactivation is disabled while the fault is present.

Medium severity. Can I keep driving?Drive little and gently. If you hear timing chain noise or the oil light comes on, shut off the engine.

Cylinder 4 is numbered according to the manufacturer: check your engine's manual before working on it.

Most likely causes

Wiring shorted to power
Solenoid internal short
Connector pins corroded - high contact resistance

What to check, in order

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

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

Good to know

Repair difficulty: hard
It affects emissions.

What each character of P3428 means

P: Powertrain: engine and transmission
3: Generic or manufacturer code, depending on the range
4: Emissions
28: Specific fault in that system

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep driving with code P3428?

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

What causes code P3428?

The most common causes are: wiring shorted to power; solenoid internal short; connector pins corroded - high contact resistance.

Related codes

Sources

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.