Codes P0016, C1241 and sluggish battery

TW. The time has finally come for me to make my first thread since joining. My 13 is having some issues.

Truck is my dd and hasn’t had any issues, at all. I ran around in it all day Saturday without issue. When I went to drive the truck yesterday I was greeted with trac off and a cel. Okay wtf. Truck started fine and was running fine. Decide to take it out and run errands and see if it’d give me any issues. Nothing, ran perfect, everything sounds as it should, functions as it should.

So I check the gas cap. I filled up Saturday evening and had issues the next day. Gas cap check was good. OEM cap, seated correctly, tight. Trac and CEL Lights still on.

So this morning, truck starts and runs fine, no issues. I hop on the freeway to go to work, expecting the truck to give me issues or limp mode. Nope. Runs fines, pulls fine, 70mph 2k rpm. No issues. Same on the way home. Lights still on.

Stop to get the codes read.

Obd2 Scanner says:

Primary code:
Weak battery
11.86v Truck turned to on but not running.

Secondary codes:
P0016
C1241

So we put the battery tester on it and run the cranking and charging system analysis. Fire it up, and it passes all system checks. Battery charge level 65%. So I cleaned the posts and terminals despite them being In visually good condition. No corrorsion, etc. I run dielectric grease and felt on my posts and terminals, excellent condition. Reset the codes. Drove home. No issues. Lights stayed off. It’s going to take me a couple days to rack up 50 miles to see if it comes back.

The battery is a duralast gold and is 16 months old, so not very old.

Now one thing I have noticed is the truck has been cranking slower over the past couple weeks, however it’s been cold. It was -5 this morning when I left for work. Daytime highs haven’t been above 38 since December and hasn’t been above freezing for the past week. Just to clarify it still starts fine, it’s just cranking slower.

So I guess my question is could a weak batter cause P0016 and C1241 or is something else going on?

I guess the one caveat that is probably just a fluke is I turned trac off on Saturday and my way home and it stayed off the entire drive home.

Truck only has 123xxx miles on it. Plugs and PVC need changed this spring but other than that mechanically speaking everything is up to date and hasn’t been neglected.

2013 Sport, V6, 4WD, DCLB, AT.

 

Low voltage certainly could have caused the C1241 code but the P0016 is a mechanical engine cam timing code, first thing to do is check the engine oil level and condition as low/dirty oil can cause the VVT system to not work properly.

Sticky VVT solenoids are relatively common but they typically will set P0011, P0012, P0021, and/or P0022 codes, P0016/P0018 can be a stretched/jumped timing chain but a stretched chain will typically cause a sharp rattle/knock especially on a cold start until oil pressure comes up.

 

I’ll check the oil tomorrow.
Only have about 2500 miles on his change. Synthetic oc it’s entire life.
No knocks, no rattles, no limp mode.
Likely hood of a stretched chain in 120k?

 

If oil changes were kept up with it's unlikely the chain is stretched but it is possible, if the oil is good and the code returns I'd suspect a sticky oil control solenoid.

 

I’ll report back tomorrow with the oil level.
OCI has been 5000-6500 w/ 5w30 synthetic and OEM filters its entire life.

 

Checked oil today.
Exactly level with the full mark on the dipstick. Oil condition is clean.
Filter is tight, no leaks.
Drain plug is tight, no leaks.

Checked the coolant. Both the over flow and inside the rad are good. Condition: clean.

Checked the air filter for the hell of it. Clean. Only has 25xx miles on it.

Truck started fine this morning. Lights still off. No noises, nothing weird. Mixed city and interstate. No issues.

Started and ran fine after work, still no lights. Mixed city and interstate driving home.

Probably won’t hit the 50 mile threshold until Thursday or Friday.

If something goes downhill before then, I’ll post before then.

 

Reporting back……

Lights have not come back on yet. Currently have over a hundred miles since resetting the codes.
Knock on wood.