The P0340 code on a Dodge means the PCM has a problem with the camshaft position sensor’s signal — the input it needs to know which cylinder is on which stroke. P0344 is the intermittent version: the signal drops out and comes back, which produces the most recognizable symptom in this family — a Dodge that stalls when hot, then restarts after cooling down. The usual fix is the sensor itself ($20–$80 part), but two impostors matter: an oil-soaked connector from a leaking valve cover, and on high-mileage engines, a stretched timing chain that no number of new sensors will cure.
What Do P0340 and P0344 Mean on a Dodge?
Your engine has two position sensors that must agree: the crankshaft sensor reports engine speed and piston position, and the camshaft sensor (CMP) reports which stroke each cylinder is on. The PCM merges the two to time fuel injection and spark precisely. Lose the cam signal and the PCM is half-blind:
- P0340 — Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 sensor): signal missing or electrically faulty.
- P0344 — the same circuit, intermittent: the signal cuts out momentarily and returns. This is the stall-and-restart code.
- Relatives you may see with them: P0345/P0349 (the Bank 2 sensor on V6/V8s with per-bank sensors), P0335/P0339 (the crankshaft sensor’s equivalents), and P0016/P0017 (cam-crank correlation — a different beast, see the timing-chain section).
Depending on model and year, a Dodge may refuse to start entirely without a cam signal, or limp along using the crank signal alone — starting slowly, running roughly, and setting misfire codes like P0300 as collateral. The 4.7L V8 and 3.7L V6 of the 2000s built a reputation for exactly this failure; the 3.6L Pentastar and 5.7L HEMI see it at high mileage too.
Dodge P0340 / P0344 Symptoms
- Engine cranks but won’t start — the hard-failure presentation
- Stalls while driving, restarts after sitting — the classic P0344 thermal pattern: the sensor dies when hot, recovers when cool, and the intervals shrink over weeks
- Long cranking before start-up, especially warm
- Rough running, hesitation, misfires when the PCM falls back on crank-only operation
- Check engine light, sometimes intermittent itself early on
Common Causes of P0340 and P0344 on a Dodge
In rough order of how often they turn out to be the culprit:
- A failing camshaft position sensor — heat kills them gradually; the intermittent-when-hot phase is the sensor announcing its retirement.
- Oil in the connector — cam sensors live near valve covers, and a seeping gasket lets oil wick down the harness into the plug. Oil-wet pins make a good sensor read like a dead one; this is the first thing to look for because it’s free.
- Wiring damage — chafed insulation, heat-brittled wires, or rodent work between the sensor and PCM.
- Low cranking voltage — a weak battery can distort sensor signals during start-up and log P0340 as a bystander; if the code appeared around battery drama, see our P0562 guide and test the battery first.
- A stretched timing chain or damaged tone wheel — on high-mileage engines the mechanical relationship between cam and crank drifts; correlation codes (P0016/P0017) alongside are the tell. New sensors won’t fix geometry.
- A failing crankshaft sensor confusing the comparison — when both cam and crank codes appear together, diagnose the pair, not one in isolation.
Cause → Symptom → Fix at a Glance
| Cause | Typical pattern | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Failing cam sensor | Hot stall + cool restart (P0344), worsening over weeks; or sudden no-start | Replace the sensor (OEM/Mopar) |
| Oil-soaked connector | Valve-cover seep above; oil visible in the plug | Clean the connector, fix the leak, re-test before buying parts |
| Wiring damage | Intermittent faults that follow bumps/heat, not engine temp alone | Repair the harness section |
| Weak battery during cranking | Code set after jump start or hard cold cranking; no running symptoms | Load-test/replace the battery; clear and monitor |
| Timing chain stretch / tone wheel | P0016/P0017 alongside; rattle on cold start; high mileage | Timing chain inspection and replacement |
| Crank sensor involvement | P0335/P0339 stored too; tach drops to zero at stall | Diagnose the pair; replace what the data condemns |
How to Diagnose P0340 / P0344 on a Dodge Step by Step
- Read everything stored, in every module. The companions steer the whole job: crank-sensor codes mean diagnose the pair; correlation codes (P0016/P0017) mean think timing chain; misfires alone are likely collateral. A capable scanner earns its keep here.
- Write down the pattern. Stall when hot, restart when cool = thermal sensor failure, the highest-probability answer. Stall over bumps = wiring. No-start after battery drama = check voltage first.
- Inspect the sensor connector. Unplug it and look: engine oil inside the plug is a finding (clean it, fix the valve-cover seep, re-test); so are corroded or spread pins.
- Watch the cam signal during cranking. On scan-tool live data, cam RPM (or sync status) should register while cranking. Crank signal present + cam signal absent = the cam sensor side is your fault, confirmed without guessing.
- Replace the sensor properly. OEM or Mopar-equivalent only — bargain cam sensors have a well-earned reputation for dying young or arriving dead. Most Dodge cam sensors are a one-bolt, one-connector job; a dab of clean engine oil on the O-ring eases seating.
- If codes return with correlation companions, stop replacing sensors. A stretched chain holds the real answer; cold-start rattle and high mileage support it. That’s a mechanical inspection, not another $40 part.
- Confirm the repair — clear codes, complete a few heat cycles including a fully warmed-up drive, and verify no return; the routine is in our reset guide.
Dodge P0340 / P0344 Repair Cost
Typical US shop prices (parts + labor) by root cause:
DIY note: on most Dodge engines the cam sensor is among the easiest sensors on the car — one bolt, one connector, ten minutes. Spend the savings on an OEM part and five minutes inspecting the connector for oil; both habits prevent the repeat visit.
Is It Safe to Drive a Dodge with P0340 or P0344?
If the engine starts and runs normally and the code hasn’t recurred, short local trips are reasonable while the sensor is on order. It’s a cheap, fast repair — don’t let it age.
A stall at speed takes power steering and brake assist with it — in traffic, that’s a genuine safety event, and the thermal failure pattern guarantees it will happen again, sooner each time. No highways, no busy roads, no passengers depending on it until the sensor is replaced and verified.
FAQ: Dodge P0340 and P0344 Codes
What does the P0340 code mean on a Dodge — will it start?
P0340 means the PCM has lost or distrusts the camshaft position sensor’s signal, which it needs to time injection and spark. Depending on model and year, a Dodge with no cam signal may crank without starting, start slowly, or run roughly on the crank signal alone with misfire codes as collateral. The most common cause is the sensor itself — a $20–$80 part — followed by oil intrusion in its connector and wiring faults.
Why does my Dodge stall when hot and restart after it cools down?
That on-off pattern is the classic presentation of a camshaft (or crankshaft) position sensor failing thermally — and the signature behind the intermittent code P0344. Heat expands the sensor’s failing internals until the signal drops and the engine dies; cooling restores it temporarily. The episodes get more frequent over weeks. Replace the sensor promptly rather than driving the pattern to its conclusion in traffic.
How do I know if it’s the cam sensor or the crank sensor on my Dodge?
Let the codes and live data decide. P0340/P0344 alone point at the cam sensor; P0335/P0339 alone at the crank sensor; both together mean testing the pair before buying either. On scan-tool live data during cranking, a present crank signal with a missing cam signal isolates the cam side. The two parts fail in similar ways and cost similar money, but swapping the wrong one fixes nothing — five minutes of data beats a guess.
Can a timing chain cause a P0340 code on a Dodge?
Yes — indirectly but importantly. A stretched timing chain shifts the mechanical relationship between camshaft and crankshaft, which corrupts the sensor comparison and typically sets correlation codes like P0016 or P0017 alongside the sensor codes. The tells are high mileage, a rattle on cold start, and codes that return after sensor replacement. At that point stop buying sensors: the fix is a timing chain inspection and replacement.
How much does it cost to fix P0340 or P0344 on a Dodge?
Usually little: the camshaft position sensor runs $80–$250 installed, with the part itself $20–$80 and replacement a one-bolt job on most Dodge engines. Cleaning an oil-soaked connector is free, and wiring repairs typically run $100–$300. The expensive escalation is a stretched timing chain at $800–$2,500+, flagged by correlation codes and cold-start rattle rather than by the sensor codes alone.
Cam-signal loss often drags misfires with it — if P0300-series codes came along, read the P0300 misfire guide after this one; and if the code appeared during battery drama, start at P0562 instead.