The Importance Of Working With The Right Mechanic

The purpose of a vehicle's crankshaft position sensor is to measure the rotations per minute and the position of the crankshaft. This information is then sent to the engine control module, which controls the fuel injection timing so that your vehicle runs smoothly. However, this sensor can go bad over time and cause some problems. Here are some signs that you have an issue with the crankshaft's position sensor. 

The Engine Doesn't Start

If your engine control module is not capable of reading the information provided by the crankshaft sensor, it is going to result in the vehicle being unable to start. This is because the engine control module doesn't know when to provide spark or fuel, which leads to the vehicle not starting. Unfortunately, a vehicle can have problems starting for a variety of reasons, so you'll need to look for other warning signs, too. 

The Sensor Produces Error Codes

The crankshaft sensor is a part that can produce an error code when it is malfunctioning. Thankfully, this sensor frequently produces the error code P0335 when it is not working correctly, which clearly identifies the crankshaft sensor. This can help you quickly narrow down the problem to the crankshaft sensor if you have a warning light and are able to have the code read with the proper equipment. 

The Vehicle Has Trouble Accelerating

When you press down on the accelerator, changes need to be made to the fuel timing and spark to provide proper combustion so that you can go faster. The crankshaft position sensor needs to relay information so that the engine can increase your speed, and the engine is not going to be able to if it's not getting the correct sensor data. 

The Vehicle Idles Roughly

If your vehicle has a rough idle, it is often due to the engine misfiring, which is likely due to the engine not getting the proper spark necessary for combustion. The crankshaft position sensor can give incorrect information if it has gone bad, causing the spark to happen at the incorrect timing and causing the engine to misfire. 

The Vehicle Has Poor Gas Mileage

Any time that an engine is working inefficiently is going to cause it to use more fuel than needed to get you to your destination. This will result in poor gas mileage due to fuel being wasted. Fixing the crankshaft position sensor can get your vehicle back to running efficiently again. 

For more information, reach out to a local service, such as a B service Mercedes.