5 Signs That Point to a Broken Crankshaft Sensor: What You Need to Know When You Become a Service Advisor

As an automotive service advisor, you will need to develop a sharp eye for vehicle and engine problems of all kinds so that you can advise customers on what repairs need to be done. In fact, developing these skills is a core component of the training and courses you will undergo on the way to this career.
One important issue that you will need to know how to spot as a service advisor is a broken crankshaft sensor. This device monitors the speed of a car’s crankshaft and transmits this information to the vehicle’s on-board computer to adjust fuel delivery and spark timing accordingly. Keep reading to learn how to correctly identify problems with this important part.

1. The Check Engine Light Is an Obvious Sign to Watch For

One of the most obvious signs of trouble is the check engine light. While this light can indicate a number of issues ranging from a loose gas cap to a broken catalytic converter, when combined with the signs listed below, it may indicate that the crankshaft sensor is broken or damaged. If the light only comes on after the vehicle has been running for a while, this could mean that the sensor stops working due to overheating.

2. Look Out For Cylinder Misfiring When You Become a Service Advisor

A misfiring cylinder can also be caused by a broken crankshaft sensor, as the sensor affects spark timing. If a client is having problems with cylinder misfiring, then it is very possible that the problem is being caused by a crankshaft sensor problem. This is especially true if the client has already checked the sparkplug for damage and is still having the same misfiring problem, as this signals that the issue lays beyond the sparkplug.

3. Backfiring and Stalling Can Point to the Crankshaft Sensor

When you become a service advisor, many clients will come to you with vehicles that have problems with backfiring and stalling. This problem can also be a sign that the crankshaft sensor is not working properly. Because the sensor controls ignition timing, it can cause both stalling and backfiring problems when it malfunctions. Be especially watchful of stalling problems that happen upon starting a vehicle and at low speeds.

4. Automotive Service Advisors Understand Increased Fuel Consumption Could Signal Trouble

As graduates of automotive service advisor courses know, the crankshaft sensor controls both spark timing and fuel injection. Problems with this sensor can do more than cause obvious problems like stalling. By making the spark and fuel injection time suboptimal, crankshaft sensor problems can also increase a vehicle’s fuel consumption, making it less efficient and more costly to run.

5. When You Become a Service Advisor, Watch Out for Acceleration Problems

Finally, when the crankshaft sensor is broken or malfunctioning, it sends bad information to the vehicle’s on-board computer. One of the many problems caused by this misinformation is a hampered ability of the vehicle to make its engine pistons synchronize with each other. When this occurs, it can be difficult to accelerate the vehicle—there may be an unusual delay in acceleration, or it may be difficult for the car to maintain a consistent speed. By keeping these important signs in mind, you will be in an excellent position to successfully identify broken crankshaft sensors during your service advisor career.
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Contact as at CATI to learn more about our auto service advisor and mechanic school.