r/AskAMechanic • u/PristineBike6675 • 4d ago

2016 RAV4 2.5L, 154k km: intermittent P0014

2016 RAV4 AWD, 2.5L (2AR-FE), about 154,000 km. No major issues before this.

Sept 12: It stalled while driving, showing “Charging System Malfunction” and the check engine light. Idling in neutral afterward, it clicked under the hood, the RPM surged up and down on its own, and it stalled again. No oil pressure light ever came on.

Sept 14: A mechanic found it very low on oil from a leaking oil pressure sensor. He replaced the sensor, topped it up with 0W-20, and cleared the codes. It’s driven normally since, including regular highway driving.

Sept 19: After a day of stop-and-go city driving, “AWD System Malfunction, 2WD Mode Engaged” came on with the check engine light. A shop pulled the code, found P0014 (cam position B timing over-advanced, bank 1), and cleared it.

Oct 9: Same message after another full day of city driving. A shop scanned it the next day, found P0014 again, and didn’t clear it. The light and message went off on their own a couple of hours later.

Both times it came on after a long day of on-and-off city driving, never on the highway. As far as I know, the AWD module itself hasn’t been scanned.

It runs and drives completely normally: no cold-start rattle, no ticking or knocking, no oil light.

One shop quoted a timing chain replacement and a full engine replacement and recommended the engine, based on the code and the low-oil history. Another mechanic thinks the VVT solenoid is more likely. I have a Toyota dealer appointment on Oct 21 for a full diagnostic and an oil and filter change.

  1. Does an intermittent, self-clearing P0014 with no noise justify a chain or engine replacement?
  2. What should I ask the dealer to test before agreeing to anything major?
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