QuestionQUESTION: I have an 03 Chrysler Concorde LXI. It has some intermittent problems that scare me. Sometimes when I'm driving down the highway the engine quits completely and I have to get to the shoulder and put it in park to restart. Other times when accelerating from a stop light the engine just bogs down and won't go unless I let off on the gas pedal and accelerate slowly. Also, at about three quarters of a tank of gas the gauge will suddenly drop to empty, the engine light comes on and a 'ding' sounds, then gage goes back up. What's happening to my car? Is this going to be a big bucks repair?
ANSWER: Hi Lena,
The best way to get a 'handle' on two of these issues is to see whether the engine control computer has noticed a cause for them. Use your ignition key and turn the ignition:"on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that action in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the odometer window of the speedometer to see if the mileage disappears and in its place there is one or more 4-digit numbers, preceded by a P. If so note what they are and get back to me with a follow-up question to tell me. I have a suspicion what is going on but rather than buy parts and guess let us take advantage of the self-diagnostic capabilities of the vehicle. Those number will likely tell us what to do about the first two problems.
The gauge issue is a simple cause with the gauge 'sender' unit, located inside of the tank, wherein there is a glitch in the variable resistor such that it suddenly behaves as if you ran out of gas, which causes the warning sound to occur, and then the sender makes contact and once again reads the resistance correctly. It may resolve itself spontaneously, but if not then I would just recognize it for an 'intermittent' and ignore it. The alternative involves dropping the tank and replacing the sender unit. Not worth it in my view, and the time to change the sender is if at some point in the future the fuel pump, also inside the tank, stops working and that would also require dropping the tank and thus involve no labor to also change the gauge sender at that time.
Let me know what you learn about the numbers. I don't think the solution to the dying/sluggish behavior will be very costly.
Roland
Roland
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QUESTION: Roland, here is the code that shows up when I followed your instructions...P0340
ANSWER: Hi Lena,
That is indeed the code I suspected for the camshaft position sensor having failed temporarily to produce the expected signal required to operate the spark and fuel injectors properly. When this sensor is wearing out that is exactly how it behaves.
That sensor is located on the front of the engine and is a simple replacement job which should have a minimal labor charge. The sensor itself should be in the range of $50-100. Tell me if you have the 2.7L or the 3.5L engine and I can give you the specifics if you or a friend want to try it yourself. Otherwise, shop around for the best deal at a trustworthy shop. But don't pay for more than 0.5 hour labor on doing the job.
Roland
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QUESTION: Hello Roland, my engine is a 3.5L
AnswerHi Lena,
The camshaft position sensor is on the front of the engine, on the timing belt cover on the driver's side of then engine very near the top of the engine. You will notice a large manifold that covers the top of the engine and at the front end of that manifold it transitions into a rectangular channel that runs across the front of the engine and which has a circular opening in the middle of that front section. Immediately below that channel and just to the right (as you look at it from the front of the engine) of the circular opening you will see the sensor under and behind the channel, held in place by a screw that holds it to the surface of the cover. It may be helpful to loosen slightly some of the bolts that hold the manifold in place in that region in which you are working to get it to lift slightly and give you better access to the sensor. Then remove the electrical plug for the sensor by gently lifting the locking tab on the side and then pulling straight forward. Then remove the screw that holds the sensor to the timing belt cover. Replacement is the reverse. The new sensor is inserted in place of the old, pressing it down until its tip (with the paper spacer still attached) touches a hard surface hidden from view (which is the camshaft sprocket). Holding the sensor so the tip maintains that contact with the surface, install the retaining screw and tighten it 9 foot-pounds of torque. Reattach the plug, then retighten the loosened bolts on the intake manifold (the main bolts on the top of the manifols are tightened to 9 foot-pounds also).
For ID purposes the wires of the electrical connector are: violet/white, black/light blue, and tan/yellow.
I believe that replacing the sensor will end the dying off problem.
Roland
Roland
