Ford Transit P0016 & P0017 Cam Crank Correlation Faults

P0016 and P0017 are diagnostic trouble codes that indicate the camshaft and crankshaft are out of sync. On the Ford 2.0 EcoBlue engine, this usually means the timing system is no longer correctly aligned.

Because this engine uses a 'wet belt' (a timing belt that runs in oil), these codes often appear when the belt starts to degrade or stretch. If left unaddressed, this can lead to serious engine damage.

Common causes

A common cause is a stretched or worn timing belt. As the belt weakens, it allows the camshaft to slip out of sync with the crankshaft.

On older Transit engines with a timing chain, such as the 2.2, 2.4 and 3.2 TDCi, the chain may have stretched or the tensioner may have failed. A faulty camshaft or crankshaft sensor or damaged wiring can set the same codes. Contaminated oil or the wrong oil can also speed up chain wear. See our Ford Transit timing chain replacement page.

How we diagnose it

At our workshop in Copthorne, we use specialist diagnostics to confirm the exact nature of the correlation fault. We also perform a physical inspection of the wet belt and oil strainer.

Checking for rubber debris in the oil sump is a vital step. If the belt is shedding material, it can block the oil pickup, leading to low oil pressure alongside the timing codes.