Dreaded p000b; Please Help!
 

I really need help. As a background, I have a 2013 BRZ Limited and I randomly got a p000b code 8 months ago when I first put my JDL uel header and OFT stage 2 tune on; cleared it, and didn't think much of it. The last few months I've been getting the p000b code every 3 weeks, but now it's becoming more frequent than that. Additionally in the last month, it's gotten very cold in New England and sometimes at idle the engine would become very lumpy and feel as if the cam timing had completely reversed; it would go away if I turned the car off and on again, or if I gave it some gas. Some times it would then generate a p000b code minutes afterwards, sometimes not. A few days ago I got fed up and reflashed my stage 2 tune, and the idle problem went away. I drove a few hundred miles and the p000b code came back. Now I swear I hear a ticking noise after I let the engine idle (could definitely be paranoid...), and I'm worried that I could be causing engine damage the longer I let this problem persist?

The p000b code seems completely random. It's not when I make hard pulls, it's usually when I'm just driving along; sometimes it came up after the engine got super lumpy at idle. Is there any ways I can diagnose this myself? I've seen the Subaru bulletin for this issue and read the nightmare horror stories on this forum. Realistically my choices are below:

1. Have my guys at Monroes put the stock header back on, reflash the factory tune, pray the p000b code pops back up, and then drive 3.5 hours to the dealershit where I bought the car. My f*cking factory warranty expired a few days ago. Hope they don't give me crap for the ECU flash counter, and somehow cover the cost of the work.

2. Have my guys at Monroes provide a sanity check, then take it to a more local dealershit leaving it stage 2 and forget about the warranty, and then just pay out of pocket.

3. Just keep clearing the code every couple days lol.

Let me know if you think there's anything else that could be contributing to my problem that I can check into. Thanks!

What is "Monroes" ......??

Since I don't know anything about it ..... I would suggest you disconnect the battery, drink a beer, reconnect the battery ...... to see if the ECU had just hiccupped and will right itself.


humfrz

It's a chain of auto repair shops. You know like Pep Boys.

If your warranty is gone I'll just ask how much your guys at Monroes would do the work.
You know dealers are pure rape. Might as well ask around for something cheaper

:slap:

never disconnect the battery and clear a code unless you KNOW what and why the code was thrown! The tech will need to be able to retrieve that data to see when it happens.

I'd just drive in, mods and all and ask them to look at it. Bring brownies or a cake or lasagna for the service writers (I'm dead serious- my wife is the master at this) and be as nice as can be. They won't check for the tune. But the prob with flashing back to stock is that then you will lose the data from the events and the tech will need that.

Well, OK ....... I could be wrong on that ...... :sigh:

I've had situations where I gotten a code and I cleared the code with a code reader and the code came back. I then disconnected the battery, to clear the code and reset the ECU, and the code hasn't come back (for over a year now) ..... :iono:

However, all this "code stuff" is new to me. Back-in-the-day, we could look at and listen to, an engine and tell what the problem was ........ :)

I'll defer to those more in the know ...... :popcorn:


humfrz

Start by not going to Monroe. They are there to slap pads on Camrys and Civics, and sell everyone that comes in a $50 air filter after blowing the original one out with an air gun.

P00B is. code for camshaft Slow response.


Check your​ oil level
Check your running correct type and viscosity oil

Tunes can excersise the cam actuators faster or over a larger range wgich can show up latent issues in the cam actuators or oil control valves.

But is not actually a tune problem
Puting the stock tune back may srop the code for above reason, but thier is still a problem somewhere

Thanks, this is actually helpful. I added Ceratec to my oil last oil change, which I think in retrospect is right around when I started seeing this pop up more often than usual. I'll do an oil change just as a a starting point I think. I switched from an aggressive cam stage 2 tune to the original OFT stage 2 tune with slightly less aggressive cam tables, and it popped up again this morning. I'm afraid I've done physical damage to the AVCS which is a known problem with our cars. If I clear the code so I don't have to drive around in limp mode, will Monroes/Dealershit still be able to pull up all necessary info? Otherwise I'll have to wait another couple hundred miles.

I legit might actually do this haha I can bake some pretty mean brownies!! I made a good connection with a local dealershit a few months ago, worst comes to worst I'll just find a different dealershit if they give me trouble. Thanks!

The early cars 2012-2013 had their fair share of cam issues.


best work through the TSB and eliminate each possible cause.


once you clear codes in these ecu their is no record in ecu unfortunately

True story- after we got my wife's camaro, she brought in a tray of lasagna for the dealership crew that helped us. Then around the holidays she brought in brownies. Whenever we come in, they know us by name or as the "lady who brings treats". When we had a warranty issue with the car (Evap system- common issue for Chevys) she brought in something too (maybe cake? Can't remember) and they had to have the car over the weekend. The warranty said nothing about providing a rental or loaner, but they gave us a loaner on good will, saving us the cost of a weekend rental.

So yeah, bring brownies and a good disposition!

Update... The oil change made the engine noticeably smoother, and I had high hopes. However just now after a hundred miles the car went indy limp mode for p000b again...... At this point I'm wondering how long I can keep clearing the code before I start causing serious mechanical problems? Car is 3 weeks out of warranty and stage 2 modified, but the problem started months ago. I guess I'm gonna have to suck it up and go to the dealershit?

Switch the OCV bank with another. If it comes back you'll have to replace the actuator. If it's on the different bank you switched to then it's the OCV.

Another update, not good news...cleared the code and drove home, and something is now noticeably wrong. Above 5k RPM the car doesn't accelerate any more and you can hear the exhaust cam whine and struggle; it feels very unhealthy and I'm not gonna push it. I live in an apartment complex so I can't do the work myself.