The Lemon IndexThe engine computer sees the cam and crank timing drifting out of line on bank 1. Full P0008 page
11 owner complaints · the #1 code Cadillac CTS owners name
Middle of 84,000 miles · most between 65,000 and 96,000 (11 owners gave it)
Cadillac CTS owners named P0008 in 11 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2009, 2010 and 2007 model years, at a middle of 84,000 miles. The part they name most is the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser (4 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Cadillac CTS model years that report P0008
Owner complaints naming P0008, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
84,000 miles is the middle of what 11 owners entered. Half were between 65,000 and 96,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser, in 4 of the 11 complaints (36%). 2 of those mention it being replaced or repaired.
- Timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser4 complaints2 mention a repair or replacement · what Cadillac CTS owners paid
4 complaints mention a recall and 3 mention a warranty.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0008
82% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
Codes owners report with it
P0017 4
Other codes named in the same Cadillac CTS complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
- Timing chain replacement$2,2003 bills · middle bill
Repair bills owners named in these 11 complaints (3 in all). Owner reports, not a quote: costs vary by shop and region.
Keep going
- P0008: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Cadillac CTS reliability by year
- 2009 Cadillac CTS problems and recalls
P0008 on other cars
Chevrolet Traverse (37) · Chevrolet Camaro (20) · Buick Enclave (15) · GMC Acadia (12)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0008 means
The engine computer sees the cam and crank timing drifting out of line on bank 1. On many engines this is an early sign of a stretched timing chain.
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
- Stretched timing chain
- Worn chain guides or tensioner
- Faulty cam phaser or VVT solenoid
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11329290, 11161992, 11132729, 11121623, 11072684, 11018739, 11006009, 10906418, 10808284, 10727054, 10701794.
Quick answers
What does P0008 mean on a Cadillac CTS?
Engine Position System Performance (Bank 1). The engine computer sees the cam and crank timing drifting out of line on bank 1. On many engines this is an early sign of a stretched timing chain.
Which Cadillac CTS years have the most P0008 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2009 (9), 2010 (1), 2007 (1) Cadillac CTS named P0008 most (11 complaints in all, 2007–2010). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0008 on a Cadillac CTS?
Owners most often name the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser (4 of 11 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does P0008 show up on a Cadillac CTS?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 84,000 miles; half were between 65,000 and 96,000 (11 owners).
Can I drive my Cadillac CTS with P0008?
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0008 on the Cadillac CTS, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.