A camshaft position sensor is a device that monitors the camshaft speed and position and then feeds the data into the vehicle’s engine control module (ECM). The ECM uses the data to control how much fuel is consumed by the combustion chamber and the timing to ignite the spark.
When the air and fuel mixture is ignited at the perfect time, the engine power and efficiency increases, and tailpipe emissions decrease.
A failing camshaft position sensor will give you warning signs before it completely stops working and leaves you in the middle of the road stranded. Here are a few warning signs to look out for:
1. The check engine light turns on
If the camshaft position sensor is failing, the check engine light will turn on. This is the most common indicator.
The vehicle’s OBD II system effectively monitors vehicle software and hardware and can detect malfunctioning parts early on before they fail completely.
Do not ignore the Check Engine light when it turns on, as it can lead to further damage to parts causing expensive repairs.
2. Transmission shifting issues
A failing camshaft position sensor will send inaccurate data, which will stop transmission shift solenoids from operating properly and will make it difficult to shift gears.
3. Excess fuel usage
A failing camshaft position sensor will send inaccurate data and keep the fuel injectors open for too long, causing excess consumption of fuel in the combustion chamber.
The fuel injectors being open for too long will also cause engine knocking and serious damage to the engine if too much gasoline accumulates in the combustion chamber. Your vehicle will use excessive fuel as the camshaft position sensor is responsible for the fuel and ignition timings.
4. The engine fails to start
If you keep ignoring these warning signs, chances are that the camshaft position sensor will fail completely and will not start. As the camshaft position sensor becomes weaker, the data transmission to the ECM becomes flawed.
There comes a time when the data signals become so weak that the ECM turns off the car. This can be very dangerous if it occurs while you are driving.
5. Difficulty driving
A damaged camshaft position sensor loses its efficiency and is unable to transfer data quickly. Delayed ignition and fuel delivery even by a few milliseconds can cause the vehicle to accelerate poorly, start with difficulty, lack power, and even turn off.
6. Failure to accelerate
Poor acceleration can be very annoying and can also be dangerous. If the acceleration is limited, you could be putting yourself in danger. If you think the camshaft position sensor is failing, you can test it using a multimeter. Testing a sensor with a multimeter is easy and efficient.
7. Misfiring
If your car is misfiring, then the camshaft position sensor is to blame.
The bottom line
If your vehicle isn’t working the way it used to, it is accelerating properly, or the Check Engine light is turned on, the camshaft position is in trouble. It is best not to ignore these signs and get them checked right away.
Ignoring these signs may cause the camshaft position sensor to fail completely, which means your vehicle won’t turn on, and the repairs will be expensive.