QuestionQUESTION: I have an 09 PT Cruiser and it started stalling and hesitating a month ago. I worked at a Ford dealership and had them check it and they said it was a coil pack. I had the repairs done then a week later it starts stalling again. I take it to a repair shop near my house because the check engine light came on. They said it was the crank shaft position sensor so I had that replaced. Then a day later it stalls and the light comes back on. They said it was a bad sensor so they replace it. A day later it is stalling and the light is back on with the code for crank shaft sensor. They still say they can't figure out what is wrong with the car and it is very odd. I am at my wits end. This car has been good up until now. Please advise on what it could be.
ANSWER: Hi Kimberley,
There are actually 2 different codes for the crankshaft position sensor: P0335 and P0339.
While they have some common causes there are some causes that are unique to one or the other.
Besides the sensor proper it could be damage to one of the three wires that supply the sensor from the powertrain control module, or it could be the powertrain control module, or it could be the moving part that the sensor 'looks' at for the signal that it needs. To check the wiring you would need a volt-ohm meter.
I have the pages in the manual that describe what steps to go thru to sort it out if the Ford dealership doesn't have those which I can copy and attach to an email I would send to you directly.
To find out which fault code you have, turn the ignition key: "on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the odometer window of the speedometer to see the mileage reading to be replace by a 4-digit number preceded by a P.
Tell me the number, which size of engine you have, and tell me your email address. But don't use the @, instead us "st" so the address won't be automatically erased.
Please read the PS below and respond to it.
Thanks,
Roland
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QUESTION: I tried the ignition several times and could not pull up the code. It is a 2.4l 4 cylinder.
ANSWER: Hi Kimberly.
It may be the case that the ignition key approach will not work with this particular model.
So ask the person who replaced the sensor which of the codes was showing, and ask if he would like to have the procedure for checking out all the possible causes of the code other than a bad sensor. Then I can copy and send you those pages to pass on to him or do it yourself or another person to use. The PT Cruiser is a less expensive model so it may not have the type of instrument cluster that is capable of displaying the fault code numbers.
Thanks for the rating and nomination which you are welcome to do both again.
Roland
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QUESTION: The code is P0340. Please email me the pages with the procedure.
AnswerHi Kimberly,
That is interesting because that P0340 is the code for the CAMshaft position sensor not the CRANKshaft position sensor. It may be that the wrong sensor was changed out and that is why this has not been solved. Check you service receipt if you got one to see which sensor you paid for and in any case point out this discrepancy to the shop that did the replacement. If so, maybe they will replace the camshaft sensor for free.
I will send you the pages for the 0340 if that is indeed the code and the replacement of that sensor does not solve the problem. But I still need to know your email address because the Allexperts website does not share that information with me. Remember to use "at", rather than the @ symbol.
Thanks for the rating and nomination. You are welcome to do both again is you believe I merit them.
Roland
