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Home / Symptoms / Bad Camshaft Sensor

Four common causes for a faulty camshaft sensor on the vehicle and their related parts.

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Does Your Car Have Bad Camshaft Sensor Symptoms, Like Trouble Accelerating or a Rough Idle?

Camshaft sensor issues are caused by low engine oil or oil contamination, affecting valve timing. Alternatively, an issue with the wiring or timing chain might also be the culprit. These usually occur after the vehicle gets too much heat from weather or internal overheating.

Watch out: Don't wait for your engine to stall before taking action on a potential camshaft sensor issue. Keep an eye out for warning signs and address them immediately to avoid costly repairs.

Let's Get To The Bottom Of It!

Is the check engine light currently active on the dashboard?

If your check engine light activates on the dashboard, something is wrong with your car's emissions. This problem may relate to a bad camshaft position sensor, which tells the computer where the camshaft is. Even if no symptoms appear, it's essential to get it checked out right away before it gets worse.

If you notice the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Does your vehicle hesitate randomly?

Camshaft position sensors tell the car's computer where the camshaft is, so it controls the engine. But, if the sensor becomes faulty, the computer won't know when to give fuel and spark to the engine, causing the car to hesitate while driving. If the wires get loose or damaged, they'll cause similar problems.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Is your vehicle dying after driving for a while?

The camshaft sensor sits in the oil part of the engine, so it is constantly running in oil. But, if the seal inside the sensor gets damaged, oil leaks into the electrical connection, causing the sensor to stop working. This results in an engine shut off. If this happens, let the engine cool down before starting it again.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Is your vehicle cranking but not starting?

The camshaft sensor tells the car's computer when the valves in the engine should open and close. If the sensor becomes faulty, the computer won't know when to give the engine fuel and spark, so it won't start. Additionally, this sensor can fail because of heat, vibration, or poor condition.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Can you hear a rattling noise coming from underhood?

The timing chain connects the crankshaft to the camshaft and helps the engine valves open and close at the right time. If the chain is loose or stretched, it makes a rattling noise, causing problems with the camshaft sensor. A loose chain can make the cam sensors communicate a malfunction.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Are you noticing a fuel mileage loss with your vehicle?

The engine oil plays a crucial role in lubricating the engine's internal components and also regulates the variable valve timing through position solenoids and phasers. These components adjust the valve timing, optimizing performance and reducing emissions. If the oil is low, it affects these components' abilities to function properly, impacting fuel efficiency.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

The most common causes for a faulty camshaft sensor

The most common causes for a failing camshaft position sensor are:

Damaged wiring: The camshaft sensor relies on power coming from the vehicle’s charging system. This power reaches the sensor by wirings and connectors that need to be effectively working. If any of these wiring goes bad, the camshaft position sensor fails.
Sensor internal issues: The cam sensor has a life cycle and can fail naturally over time. However, the sensor might also suffer electrical issues from short circuit and charging system problems, affecting its internal circuitry and causing it to fail.
Faulty timing chain: The timing chain is part of the vehicle’s charging system and it helps deliver power to various accessories, including the camshaft sensor. However, this timing chain can fail, get loose, or slip out of place, causing charging system issues that can lead to camshaft sensor malfunction.
Engine oil issues: The camshaft sensor helps control the opening and closing of the engine’s intake and exhaust valves to optimize the combustion process. However, if engine oil is low, the camshaft can suffer extra friction when opening and closing, leading to problems that can be wrongly associated with the sensor. This also happens if engine oil is contaminated or too old.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the check engine light currently active on the dashboard?

If your check engine light activates on the dashboard, something is wrong with your car's emissions. This problem may relate to a bad camshaft position sensor, which tells the computer where the camshaft is. Even if no symptoms appear, it's essential to get it checked out right away before it gets worse.

If you notice the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Does your vehicle hesitate randomly?

Camshaft position sensors tell the car's computer where the camshaft is, so it controls the engine. But, if the sensor becomes faulty, the computer won't know when to give fuel and spark to the engine, causing the car to hesitate while driving. If the wires get loose or damaged, they'll cause similar problems.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Is your vehicle dying after driving for a while?

The camshaft sensor sits in the oil part of the engine, so it is constantly running in oil. But, if the seal inside the sensor gets damaged, oil leaks into the electrical connection, causing the sensor to stop working. This results in an engine shut off. If this happens, let the engine cool down before starting it again.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Is your vehicle cranking but not starting?

The camshaft sensor tells the car's computer when the valves in the engine should open and close. If the sensor becomes faulty, the computer won't know when to give the engine fuel and spark, so it won't start. Additionally, this sensor can fail because of heat, vibration, or poor condition.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Can you hear a rattling noise coming from underhood?

The timing chain connects the crankshaft to the camshaft and helps the engine valves open and close at the right time. If the chain is loose or stretched, it makes a rattling noise, causing problems with the camshaft sensor. A loose chain can make the cam sensors communicate a malfunction.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Are you noticing a fuel mileage loss with your vehicle?

The engine oil plays a crucial role in lubricating the engine's internal components and also regulates the variable valve timing through position solenoids and phasers. These components adjust the valve timing, optimizing performance and reducing emissions. If the oil is low, it affects these components' abilities to function properly, impacting fuel efficiency.

If you notice the check engine dash light active, the engine having difficulties starting, cranking, stalling while driving, hesitating, fuel economy loss, or vehicle power loss, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Typical fixes to address the cause(s)

These are typical processes and repair services that fix a check engine light issue

The most common cause: Engine oil issues

The most common reason for a car's bad camshaft sensor is an issue with engine oil. The engine oil in a vehicle is vital to keep everything inside the engine moving smoothly with low friction. This smoother movement enhances efficiency and prevents engine components from becoming stuck or degrading too fast. The camshaft is a vital component that commonly suffers whenever engine oil is low or contaminated, since friction and overheating increase, causing issues to the camshaft and its sensors.

Symptoms it causes: Apart from the camshaft issues, you might notice engine stalling, misfires, bad fuel economy, squealing noises, smoke from the hood, etc.
High risk of priority: Engine oil is needed for anything to work properly in your vehicle, it’s the ‘blood’ in the car’s system, ensuring everything is durable and moving with efficiency. In worst cases, with engine oil issues, the engine might stall or even suffer major breakdowns.

How exactly do engine oil issues happen?

Engine oil issues can pop up in different ways. Firstly, engine oil needs regular changes every 3 months or so; if the oil goes unchanged, it’ll become contaminated and harm your vehicle. Next, there are potential leaks that can pop up anywhere, anytime, especially if the vehicle drives on rough terrain and does heavy work. So, check for oil spots under the car, burning oil smells, and the oil pressure information on your dashboard.

Go safe: Ask for a mechanic to inspect your vehicle’s oil and combustion system to investigate if the camshaft is failing due to surrounding components and if there’s further damage to check out. Many shops do transparent vehicle inspections and lay out your options after investigating your vehicle’s conditions.

What’s a vehicle inspection? It’s “detective work” on your vehicle, checking its systems to see if anything prevents the car from working as expected. In this case, mechanics examine different parts of your vehicle to track if anything is causing the camshaft to fail. They’ll also check the condition of components during their inspection, noting which are causing the problem and which got affected by it, recommending to replace them in order of priority.

Transparency example in a faulty camshaft service

An oil and combustion system inspection is the most transparent process to understand why your vehicle’s camshaft is faulty. This is because many components surrounding the camshaft sensor and combustion system components can have a say in the issue, indicating the real culprits that caused it all.

Let’s read an example of how this kind of inspection helps to service a low engine oil issue, fixing a camshaft-related problem.

The customer brought in their vehicle because its fuel efficiency worsened. They used to get 28 miles per gallon, but now it decreased to 22. They weren't sure if it was bad-quality gas or if they needed a tune-up.

On the test drive, the technician noticed that the vehicle was 8,000 miles overdue for an oil change. They also noticed that the check engine light was on the dashboard.

During the vehicle health inspection, the technician found a low oil level, which was slightly blackish on the dipstick. They did a scan, discovering a cam position timing-related error code over advanced or system performance.

The technician recommended changing the oil, flushing the engine, and clearing the codes to eliminate the problem. They also used a scan tool after the oil change to verify if the computer could now control the timing change for the best fuel mileage.

Low engine oil

In this case, the mechanic put the “Immediate Action” tag on the fuel pump.

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Below are just a few examples of typical Symptoms and Fixes your car might be experiencing

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