P3481Cylinder 11 Deactivation/Intake Valve Control Circuit/Open
- Generic OBD-II code · Powertrain
- Turns on the check-engine light
- Matters for the ITP
- How the car detects it
- P3481 marks an open circuit to the actuator for deactivation or the intake valve of cylinder 11, a cylinder only V12 and W12 engines possess. No manufacturer documents this code publicly; J2012 reserves the codes for cylinders 9 to 12 for engines with more than eight cylinders. Bentley's W12, the best documented twelve-cylinder with shut-off, stops one complete bank of six and, according to its engineering chief, leaves the valves operating; the ECU alternates between bank A and bank B using intake and exhaust sensor data so cylinders and catalytic converter stay warm. With no valve actuator, there is no circuit for P3481 to check. On a design that has one, it means a broken wire, connector or coil. P3483 and P3484 report shorts, P3482 the function, P3485 the exhaust side.
- What you may notice
- Check engine lamp on
- Engine stays on all twelve cylinders
- Likely causes
- LikelyWire to the cylinder 11 actuator broken
- PossibleCylinder 11 actuator coil open
- PossibleActuator connector at cylinder 11 loose or corroded
- RareDriver stage in the engine control module failed
- Inspection (ITP)
- Matters for the ITP. While the check-engine light is on, the car fails the emissions check.
- Repair
- Medium · Often possible to do yourself.Typical cost: €60 – €900
- Related codes
Explanation from obdex (CC0), exactly as the app shows it. Guidance only; confirm with a workshop.