Can You Still Drive with a Faulty Crankshaft Sensor?
2 Answers
The car cannot be driven if the crankshaft sensor is faulty. When the crankshaft sensor is damaged, the rotation angle of the crankshaft cannot be determined, and the engine control unit (ECU) will not receive signals from the crankshaft position sensor. To protect the engine, the system will stop fuel injection and ignition. The crankshaft position sensor is one of the key sensors in the engine's electronic control system. It provides signals for ignition timing and crankshaft position detection, which are used to identify the piston's top dead center, crankshaft rotation angle, and engine speed. The structure of the crankshaft position sensor varies depending on the vehicle model and can be categorized into three main types: magnetic pulse, photoelectric, and Hall-effect sensors. These sensors are typically installed at the front end of the crankshaft, the front end of the camshaft, the flywheel, or inside the distributor.
I recently had a crankshaft sensor failure where my car suddenly stalled while driving and wouldn't start no matter how many times I tried. This component monitors the engine's position - once it fails, the car's computer can't detect the crankshaft rotation, making it impossible to control ignition and fuel injection. Driving with this issue is extremely dangerous. If the engine cuts out suddenly on the highway, you'll lose power brake assist, potentially causing an accident. My car had to be towed to the repair shop. The mechanic warned against forcing it to run as this could damage other components like the engine control module. For safety, if you notice any abnormality, stop immediately and seek help - never try to limp home with this problem.
