A failure detection apparatus for preventing erroneous detection due to a degradation of a sensor and thereby accurately performing failure detection of a variable valve timing and lift control system is provided. The detection apparatus detects a failure of a variable valve timing and lift control system in an engine. The detection apparatus detects a vibration inside an engine cylinder, extracts the component of seating sound of the valve from the output signal of the sensor, determines an actual seating time of said valve from the component of seating sound, and calculates a target seating time of said valve based on at least one of a requested lift amount, a requested advance angle, and a requested open angle depending on the operating conditions. The detecting apparatus corrects the actual seating time for a stationary deviation between the actual seating time and the target seating time caused by degradation or unevenness of the sensor. The detecting apparatus determines a failure of the variable valve timing and lift control system by comparing the corrected actual seating time with the target seating time.