P3479 shows a short to ground, or another cause of a low signal, on the control line of the cylinder 10 exhaust valve actuator. No manufacturer documents this code publicly; J2012 reserves the codes for cylinders 9 to 12 for engines with more than eight cylinders. Engines with ten or more cylinders that deactivate cylinders include Audi's R8 V10, Lamborghini's Huracán V10 and Aventador V12, and Bentley's W12; the published descriptions of all of them talk about whole banks, not about a valve actuator per cylinder. If an engine does carry one, the check mirrors the intake low test known from GM's V8s: resistance to ground with the output off. Repair is wiring or actuator work around cylinder 10. Siblings: P3477 (open), P3480 (high), P3475 (intake low).
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
- Fuel-saving cylinder shut-off inactive
Most likely causes
- Exhaust actuator wire of cylinder 10 shorted to ground
- Exhaust actuator shorted internally
- Control module output stage faulty
What to check, in order
Start with the simplest. You can tick off each step.
Good to know
- Repair difficulty: medium
- It affects emissions.
What each character of P3479 means
- P: Powertrain: engine and transmission
- 3: Generic or manufacturer code, depending on the range
- 4: Emissions
- 79: Specific fault in that system
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep driving with code P3479?
Drive little and gently. If you hear timing chain noise or the oil light comes on, shut off the engine.
What causes code P3479?
The most common causes are: exhaust actuator wire of cylinder 10 shorted to ground; exhaust actuator shorted internally; control module output stage faulty.
Related codes
- P3477Cylinder 10 Exhaust Valve Control Circuit/Open
- P3478Cylinder 10 Exhaust Valve Control Performance
- P3480Cylinder 10 Exhaust Valve Control Circuit High
- P3475Cylinder 10 Deactivation/Intake Valve Control Circuit Low
- P3497Cylinder Deactivation System Bank 2
Sources
- law.cornell.edu: 13 CCR 1968.2
- media.audiusa.com: 404
- newatlas.com: 24363
- bentleymedia.com: 1130 new bentayga speed the ultimate bentayga
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.