What are the symptoms of a faulty crankshaft sensor?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a faulty crankshaft sensor include: 1. The malfunction indicator light turns on; 2. The engine can continue to operate relying on the camshaft position sensor, but the starting time may be longer, and the cruise and exhaust brake systems may not function properly. Additionally, the engine may shake and emit white smoke, although there is no significant change in power performance, and the throttle response remains normal; 3. Fault codes may be generated; 4. Abnormal signal disc. The crankshaft sensor plays a crucial role among sensors, determining the position of the crankshaft, detecting engine speed, and also detecting signals such as the top dead center signal of each cylinder for ignition control and the top dead center signal of the first cylinder for sequential fuel injection control. The crankshaft sensor usually works in conjunction with the camshaft position sensor to determine the basic ignition timing.
I remember that year when my old car had a crankshaft position sensor failure, and it really gave me a hard time. At first, starting the car became extremely difficult—sometimes I'd turn the key for ages without the engine catching, feeling like the battery was dead, but replacing the battery didn't help. Sudden stalling became frequent; waiting at traffic lights, the engine would just shut off on its own, which was terrifying and nearly caused accidents. Acceleration was noticeably weaker, struggling uphill with no power even when flooring the gas pedal. Later, I also noticed unstable idling—the RPM gauge would fluctuate wildly when parked, making the whole car shake. Fuel consumption crept up too; a full tank that used to last 500km suddenly dropped to just over 400km, making my wallet protest. The check engine light kept mysteriously illuminating, as if warning me not to ignore it. The car felt completely unruly, like a runaway horse—safety was a real concern. I immediately took it to the shop to replace the part before things got worse. Ignoring this kind of failure could easily lead to serious trouble on the road.
