P3404 - OBD Trouble Code

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The OBD-II Code Reduction engine performance states a Cylinder 1 Deactivation/Intake Valve Control Circuit High.

As the ECM finds voltage or resistance to be exceedingly high above the regular wanted value ratio inside the cylinder 1 deactivation/intake valve control circuit, this will set code P3404 and illuminate the Check Engine Light, service engine soon light or both. In few cases, the ECM might deactivate the injector to the cylinder 1 before the problem is solved and the code got cleared, which results in a detectable engine misfire.

In an attempt to match up with fuel and emissions qualities, numerous manufacturers are using systems of cylinder deactivation. This system enables the engine's control module (PCM) to deactivate chosen cylinders when power that isn’t needed is added by the engine, for instance at idle or when coasting on the roadway. If the engine's control module (PCM) finds that the Intake Valve for cylinder 1 one doesn’t turn ON or OFF the directions it is being demanded, the PCM will station code P3404.

What causes this problem with the Cylinder 1 Deactivation/Intake Valve Control Circuit High?

• Faulty cylinder deactivation solenoid
• Dropped engine oil level or pressure
• Limited oil passage
• Defective or damaged wiring
• Damaged, corroded or loose connector
• Faulty ECM

1. ECM - A Check Engine Light that comes on is a primary indicator of a problem associated with the Engine Control Module. The Check Engine Light regularly begins to come on while the computer detects a problem that is associated with all the sensors or circuits. In some cases, the ECM actuates a Check Engine Light by accident, or if there is no current problem. Scanning on the computer for trouble codes can help with finding out whether or not there is an error with the ECM, or the location of the problem being found in the vehicle. Abnormal engine action is another major indicator of a defective or failing ECM. A failed computer might cause a vehicle to embrace abnormal problems such as stalls or misfires. These symptoms may come and go, and may not display any type of pattern to their continuity or intensity. Engine performance issues are another major indicator of a crucial problem associated with the ECM. If the ECM is embracing any issues, it could result in timing and fuel settings to badly impact the performance of the vehicle. A faulty ECM could result in the vehicle to experience a reduction in fuel efficiency, power, and acceleration. A vehicle that is failing to start or refrains at restarting is another major indicator of a defective or failed ECM. If the ECM fails completely, the vehicle will remain losing engine power control, and will be failing to start or run as a result. The engine may still crank, but will be failing to start if experiencing an absence of vital inputs by the computer. A wide variety of other issues can also cause this symptom, so it’s a good idea to do a thorough diagnosis that is conducted by a certified mechanic that will persist to determining the outcome.
2. PCM - A Check Engine Light that comes on is a major symptom of an error associated with the Engine Control Module. The Check Engine Light normally illuminates as the computer detects an error associated with any of the sensors or circuits. These are circumstances when the ECM triggers a Check Engine Light to illuminate by accident, or when no current problem is apparent. Make sure a mechanic scans the computer for error codes to diagnose whether the problem is related to the ECM, or another location inside the vehicle. Irregular engine performance might also determine a faulty or failing ECM. A defective computer might lead to the vehicle irregularly stalling or misfiring. The symptoms may come and go, but not show to behave in any kind of order of their persistence or extremity. Engine performance errors are another symptom of a critical error associated with the ECM. If the ECM is experiencing any problems, it may cause timing and fuel settings to the engine to badly impact the performance system. A defective ECM could cause the vehicle to embrace a decrease in fuel efficiency, power, and acceleration. A poor ECM might cause a vehicle to fail or refrain from starting. If the ECM fails entirely, the vehicle will stay without any engine management control, and will be starting or running as an outcome. The engine might still crank, but restarting, will not obtain any vital inputs by the computer. The ECM will not entirely cause any issues in starting the vehicle, so it is better to run a diagnosis by reaching out to a certified mechanic to continue detecting the major result. A poor fuel economy might take place during the time an ECM is failing. A defective ECM rejects the engine from recognizing with the amount of fuel that burns within the combustion system. Normally, the vehicle uses more fuel than it commands in this case. As a result, you will spend more on fuel than you should with a performing ECM.
3. Intake Valve - Ticking or popping noises are the most generic types of noises you will see while you are experiencing problems with your valves. You will often hear this ticking noise before you notice another problem. This noise will get louder and faster while the engine speeds up. It regularly shows a portion of the valve train parts that either wears or doesn’t align, or that your engine is not receiving enough lubrication. Most vehicles are comprised of hydraulic lifters, and these lifters need constant lubrication and pressure maintained at a precise level. If the pressure is slightly thrown off, it increases the behaviour or inaccurate movement within the valve train. Blue smoke is a generic indicator of ultimate engine trouble and you should never avoid this. Furthermore, blue smoke is not specifically a result of valve problems, as it is one of the most generic identifications, even when combined with ticking and popping noises. As valve guides and seals wear away, this allows oil to pass through the combustion chamber and burn along with the fuel. Additionally, you will notice that your oil levels continually drop, or you often need to apply on oil, and you have covered all leaks. Regularly, the amount of blue smoke you see with the valve guide and seal failure is very small and rarely identifiable. If you are spewing out a large amount of smoke, then you may be dealing with more intense problems such as damaged or worn away piston rings. It is best to contact an experienced mechanic to detect where the engine issue is pinpointed and when you are dealing this type of problem. Another indicator that you are experiencing with valve problems is that you frequently notice a reduction in engine power and performance. Valves are designed to meet with fitting perfectly into the seats and allow for much less elbowroom. If your valve guides and seals are leaking, oil can accumulate on top of the valve and cause a loss of seating or power and combustion. Burnt valves are another problem that lead to power deficiencies. A burnt valve is likely to lose material and even results in huge holes that leak gases and reduce compression. Many components lead to burning valves, but one of the most common reasons is to avoid seals and guides that leak, or fail to fix other compression problems. You can mix these issues with a cooling system or EGR “exhaust gas re-circulation” issue, and you are above all likely of burning up the valves. These cases should not be ignored, as they are associated with the valve, and can get more extreme and costly down the road. On the other hand, it is simple to stop this from reoccurring, or at least be delayed with proper engine maintenance. Ensure that your oil is being changed on a normal basis, and fix any other engine trouble without any detainment.
4. Engine Oil - If the cold thickness of your oil is excessive, and too thick, then you might not be susceptible of starting your vehicle under cold temperatures. When this generically occurs, it results in oil to get so thick that it can’t correctly lubricate all moving components and this result in too much resistance when the vehicle is getting started. If you consume synthetic oil in a vehicle with aged old or high mileage, you could start to build up slight oil leaks that you wouldn't have been given if you had utilized conventional motor oil. This is all because of a scale of flow assets that synthetic oils have, which conventional oils do not have. It enables the oil to force its way through smaller spaces than regular oil. Expending synthetic oil in these situations will not eventually result in any damage, so you might be noticing drops of oil splattered on your garage floor or a burning door while you are driving. While this oil slowly leaks, you may want to pay more attention to your oil level and get it topped off when requested. Shifting back to conventional oil when doing an oil change is highly advised. Few vehicles will easily not perform the right way while expending on synthetic oils. If the hot thickness of motor oil is not high enough, the oil might start to break apart under exceedingly hot states and will be failing to lubricate the parts of the engine correctly. This will result in burning oil. Over a period, this can ultimately damage your engine because of too much rubbing and abrasion between metal parts. If your motor oil has too much thickness to expend for their range of settings, your fuel mileage will probably be suffering. This is due to the thickness of oil increasing resilience on monitoring components such as pistons. When providing the correct protection on your engine, it will be more expensive if making even more trips to the gas station. If you consume motor oil with an excessively thin viscosity for these kinds of settings, you might hear your engine make a ticking sound. Your engine will normally make the loudest sound after starting and moderately reducing after driving about over a time frame. This occurs if engine oil has an incorrect weight that leads to doing a bad job of coating and lubricating all engine parts. You can hear metal parts such as valves and valve lifters clash with other metal parts. A short change to a different oil thickness could overcome the problem.
5. Valve Timing Solenoid - When an Engine Control Unit (ECU) controls modern vehicles, nearly all-separately parts are inspected by the ECU. When a separate part starts to fail, the ECU will set a particular error code that will enable a mechanic to use a scanner that basically identifies if a problem increases. As the code has been running through the system, it will alert the driver by triggering a certain zone warning light to illuminate. The Check Engine Light is the most generic light to illuminate when a VVT solenoid is failing. As each vehicle manufacturer has a vast extension of codes being in use, it is essential for a vehicle owner to consult with certified mechanic to monitor the vehicle, utilizing the correct diagnostic scan tool for downloading the code and finding the exact source of the error. As a matter of fact, there are many separate codes of a VVT solenoid problem for each vehicle manufacturer. As soon as when the mechanic has this rightful data, they can start to resolve the particular error. The VVT solenoid performs at top excellence, as the engine oil is clean, free of dirt, or lost a specific quantity of lubrication or thickness. As the engine oil gets plugged with dirt, debris or other external elements, it ultimately plugs up the passages from the solenoid to the VVT chain, as well as gear. If you weren’t successful at changing your engine oil outside a certain time slot, it might damage the VVT solenoid, the VVT chain, including the gear drive. To prevent this incident from moving forward, ensure to change your engine oil as advised by the vehicle manufacture. Regularly, the VVT system fails to activate until the engine gets set to a higher RPM or is swayed into the action of loading bearing settings, such as driving uphill. Although, if the VVT solenoid fails at performing, it is viable that it will maintain consuming added engine oil to the VVT gears. This can lead to the engine idling rough, particularly the engine RPM will change when the system is triggered. If you do not proceed to check up on this, it can result in more engine parts to wear away much sooner. If your engine idles get rough, ensure to consult with an experienced mechanic to monitor this problem right away. The objective of variable valve timing is to make sure the valves open and close at the correct time to upgrade engine operation and decrease fuel consumption. When the VVT solenoid fails to operate, the whole system can be settled, which could lead to an intake and exhaust valves to open and close at the incorrect time frame. This regularly leads to the fuel economy to undergo a strong decrease.

Willing to know some common symptoms of OBD Code P3404? Your wish is our demand. Have a look at them below:

Common Symptoms

• Engine might misfire
• Raised fuel consumption
• Bad engine performance
• Illuminated service engine soon light
• Illuminated check engine light

It is very essential to repair the error code P3404. These are a few steps that you can follow to correct this problem:

• This process will assist to find out whether or not the function crash is abnormal.
• If the resistance level doesn’t reduce with heat and rise as it cools, swap the sensor. If you’ve checked out every other component so far, turn the key to ON mode and inspect for the occurrence of a voltage, including a ground signal, at the exhaust gas temperature/pressure sensor electrical connector or a heated oxygen sensor.
• The signal is methodically directed to impact control modules that use this data to achieve a variety other duty.
• If the fuel shutoff switch and all system circuitry get checked out, surmise a faulty PCM or other associated controller.

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Below are a few steps that you should read in to correctly diagnose this error code:

• First step to pursue the problem with this process for any function crash is to do research on the Technical Service Bulletins (TSB's) to find out the exact vehicle by year, model and engine. In some cases, you can save much time and money by directing yourself on the right path.
• Second step is finding out the setting of the engine oil and confirm it is sustained at the correct level. Next step is to determine where all components are associated with the cylinder 1 deactivation intake valve control circuit and find out any obvious physical damage. Rooting to the certain vehicle, this circuit may intermingle many components that include the deactivation solenoid, switches, fault signals and ECM. Operate a thorough visual inspection to identify the associated wiring for obvious defects such as scraping, rubbing, bare wires, or burn spots. Next step is to determine the connectors and connections for all security, corroded and damaged pins. This process must arrive with all wiring connectors and connections to all components that come with the ECM. Source a certain source of tech data for the vehicle to ensure the configuration of the cylinder 1 deactivation/intake valve control circuit and confirm every component is intermingled inside the circuit, which may come with a fuse or a fuse-able connector.

Advanced Steps - The advanced steps get to be very specific to vehicles and need the proper advanced equipment to operate consistently. These methods need a digital multi meter and the particular technical sources for the vehicle.

Voltage Checks - The sourced voltage and the acquired ranks might differ grounded on the particular vehicle and the circuit arrangement. Certain tech data will come with troubleshooting charts and the proper order that will help you make a consistent diagnosis. If this system specifies the missing source or ground of power, progression inspecting might be needed to detect the durability and strength of the wiring, connectors and other parts. Progression inspecting should always be operated with the power taken out of the circuit and the regular messages for wiring and connections that have to be 0 ohms of resistance.

Common Mistakes When Diagnosing the P3404 Code

• Extreme low oil level in engine
• Failed Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
• Failed Variable valve timing solenoid
• Wiring problem