P1531 Code Help

So I hooked up the Durametric to reset my airbag light and it showed 3 codes in the queue. The CEL wasn't on. It showed P1531 and two other O2 sensor codes from the same bank (I didn't write them down). Cleared the codes and have driven the car 100 or so miles, the car runs great and the P1531 hasn't come back. I did some research on this code and what I found is that it usually shows up if one of the cams jumps timing for some reason. Tested the variocam solenoids with the Durametric and both sides actuate, but that code scares me. Any ideas?

My CEL just went on last night. Took it to a local place for OBD check, I also got P1531 P15XX Vehicle Speed, Idle Control, and Auxiliary Inputs . Research shows solenoid/actuator but have not dug deep into thsi as yet. Car is overdue for 60K service so I may get it checked out along with the service.

P1531 is usually the left bank cam position sensor/camshaft actuator. Geez, ask me how I know . . .

Well the CEL went off as I began driving to my indy. Let's see what he finds when he checks it out. Fingers crossed......

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My info is: P1531 - camshaft adjustment bank 1. No triggering of the actuator, nevertheless active position. Possible causes: short to ground; actuator defective. Among other diagnostics conditions: no fault with reference mark, camshaft position sensors and engine oil temp; the camshaft actuator must be triggered. The cam has not jumped time, the actuator is not responding to a trigger that should have it responding and this deduced from teh camshaft position sensor on that bank. The solenoid or actuator (or both) is likely bad, but based on what you report intermittently bad. This was my experience with my 02 Boxster. After an initial bout of rough/varying idle among other things the engine settled down, for a while, for a while read 30+ miles.) But the tech was able to confirm through PST2/PIWIS diags the solenoid was bad. The O2 sensor fault codes are likely arising from the DME attempting to adjust fueling on that bank to compensate for the lack of camshaft timing change. This too my Boxster did... the sensors readings and short term fuel trim numbers on the bank (passenger) with the bad solenoid were all over the map. When I dropped off the car I told the tech about this and he said that's to be expected when the VarioCam solenoid/actuator is acting up. I drove my Boxster 30 miles home -- keeping rpms below 4K and one hand on the key to shut off the engine ASAP should it start to go noisy/sick/bad on me. That after clearing the pending error code and starting the engine the engine felt/sounded just fine helped me decide to try to drive it home. My car had over 220K miles on it at this point so I was willing to risk it. But I would not advise you to risk possible serious engine damage doing this. In your car's case, the engine as it now is can be fixed and put back on the road in rosy health. It cost me around $3K to fix my car but the rest of the car is in fine shape and I can't/couldn't replace it with anything close for $3 or even 2x or 3x that amount. Sincerely, Macster.

intermittent stuck actuator?.... lot of work putting these in.

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Sounds a bit weird, I admit. Also, I may not be remembering quite accurately. I say intermittent in that the engine appeared to behave on the way home and the next day when I started it up from cold and drove it a mile or so to the dealer, but I didn't monitor the fuel trims, sensors on the way home, or the next day. I had only checked them very soon after the initial appearance of the symptoms. Thus I say 'intermittent' based on the fact the engine was not manifesting the rather scary symptoms it manifested when I pulled into to work the day before. However, I will say intermittently bad hardware is quite common based on my experience with my Boxster: It has had intermittently bad O2 sensors, MAF, and a catalytic converter, clutch interlock switch and some various door hardware (passenger door lock assembly to name one). You'd be surprised at what a restorative effect an engine shut off and a bit of a cool down will have on intermittently bad engine hardware. The only thing that an engine shut down didn't help was the fuel pump. When the fuel pump decided to quit working, it quite working. Oh, and the 2 AOS's. While they didn't quit working outright, they got steadily worse and towards the 'end' they got worse quickly, in just a matter of minutes the 1st time. In the OP's case, I wouldn't advise him to replace the solenoid/actuator until he had a tech's confirmation of at least one being bad. The tech in my car's case managed to confirm the solenoid was not working properly. A complication arose for after the solenoid was replaced I hadn't had the car back for long and only drove it a few miles, but enough miles to get the engine fully up to temp, before the symptoms returned and back the car went and I was told a short while later this was id'd as the actuator. Hey, that 's intermittent! There's a sort of an odd story behind this: I was told later that if the tech goes in to replace the solenoid the SOP -- my info is the techs learned this the hard way early on by experience -- is to just go ahead and replace the actuator, unless the customer given the option refuses. In my case I was not given the option/choice. Had I been given it, had it been explained to me I would have agreed. (In fact I talked to the tech about doing the other side 'just in case' and he said with no symptoms to leave that side alone.) Anyhow, in the case of the Boxster, there's a lot of work to get to the solenoid and one can't tell if the actuator is also bad until the solenoid is replaced. So, to avoid a nearly $1500 repeat repair the techs replace both items. In my car's case the dealer/service department ate the duplicate cost of going in and replacing the actuator. I had to pay the labor cost specific to going beyond/deeper than the solenoid to replace the actuator and the cost of the actuator, but the 4 or so hours to get down the solenoid and back again along with the camshaft cover bolts (they can't be reused) and sealant, gaskets, etc. I was not charged again for. In the case of the 996 at least this is my second hand info is the solenoid replacement is an easier job. If my info is correct then it makes sense to if the solenoid is confirmed bad to replace it then see if a bad actuator then makes its presence known. Sincerely, Macster.

This will sound odd, but I think it was a soiled MAF. Whenever I run the K&N Cold Air setup the car consistently throws different codes. Stock airbox is back on, new MAF installed and the car idles smoothly again with no codes. Have 500 or so miles on it since changing the intake.

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That is odd and yet not odd. It is odd in that my references say the P1531 error code is "Camshaft adjustment -- bank 1". It is not odd in that other owners have reported weird goings on using an aftermarket air filter/CAI system. In one case the aftermarket intake mod resulted in turbulence at the MAF which really affected its performance, at least this was the take away from the results of what the owner did. More than a few possible causes of the symptoms were presented to the owner with one of these including going back to the factory system. After exhausting the other possible causes the owner put the factory intake filter/air box system back and the weird goings on were no more. However, I note you also replaced the MAF. I've not gone back and reread the posts to see if you have already covered this, but if you haven't solid confirmation the old MAF was bad I wonder what the results of going back to the old MAF would be? Just curious. However, I imagine at this point you are sick of working on the car the engine and fiddling with the MAF and the last thing you want to do is put the old MAF back in service just to satisfy my curiosity. Sincerely, Macster.

I have been experiencing the same issue, P1530/P1531. I mentioned in the post back in June 2012. I had a 60K service completed with plugs/coils etc (at about 73K) and the fault went away. Brought it out of storage last month and light goes on. Same code. Registration about to expire, failed emissions, can't renew. (Got a one time 4 month extension so I can drive it at least). Took it to indy, he suggested based on his diagniosis, actuator. He works on older porshes so suggestion was to address with dealer. Also, my cabriolet top does not work as well. So going to give Westmont Porsche a chance to figure this out. Wish me luck and any further advice is appreciated.