P3474 is about function rather than wiring: cylinder 10 should shut down or come back, but measured engine behaviour says it did not, while its control circuit is intact. No manufacturer documents this code publicly; J2012 reserves the codes for cylinders 9 to 12 for engines with more than eight cylinders. Audi's R8 V10, one of the few ten-cylinder engines with shut-off, works without valve switching; Audi reserves the valve-closing method with zero-lift cams on axially sliding sleeves for its 4.0 TFSI V8. Where valve deactivation is used, causes lie in the oil supply or in a sticking switching element, and NHTSA's description of GM's lifters with oil-pressure locking pins shows how small leaks spoil the switch. P3473, P3475 and P3476 are the electrical codes of cylinder 10.
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 10 is numbered according to the manufacturer: check your engine's manual before working on it.
Symptoms
- Check engine lamp on
- Misfire on cylinder 10 (P0310)
- Tapping noise from the valve train
Most likely causes
- Oil pressure or oil condition not sufficient to switch cylinder 10
- Lifter or cam sleeve at cylinder 10 sticking
- Oil screen or passage to the cylinder 10 actuator blocked
- Leaking seal at the actuator
What to check, in order
Start with the simplest. You can tick off each step.
Good to know
- Repair difficulty: hard
- It affects emissions.
What each character of P3474 means
- P: Powertrain: engine and transmission
- 3: Generic or manufacturer code, depending on the range
- 4: Emissions
- 74: Specific fault in that system
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep driving with code P3474?
Drive little and gently. If you hear timing chain noise or the oil light comes on, shut off the engine.
What causes code P3474?
The most common causes are: oil pressure or oil condition not sufficient to switch cylinder 10; lifter or cam sleeve at cylinder 10 sticking; oil screen or passage to the cylinder 10 actuator blocked.
Related codes
- P3473Cylinder 10 Deactivation/Intake Valve Control Circuit/Open
- P3475Cylinder 10 Deactivation/Intake Valve Control Circuit Low
- P3476Cylinder 10 Deactivation/Intake Valve Control Circuit High
- P3478Cylinder 10 Exhaust Valve Control Performance
- P0310Cylinder 10 Misfire Detected
- P3497Cylinder Deactivation System Bank 2
Sources
- law.cornell.edu: 13 CCR 1968.2
- static.nhtsa.gov: INRD PE25001 11969
- audi-technology-portal.de: download
- media.audiusa.com: 404
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.