Q: Car quietly died while driving

asked by on September 06, 2017

My car quietly died while I was driving home, no shuttering or jerking just simply died and the oil, battery, service engine, traction light all came on. I try to start it and it does not want to turn over. I changed the alternator because the problems seemed to be connected to that however it's still doing the same thing. The code reader said crankshaft sensor position and I want to know if its something I can do or if I need to get a mechanic to look at it. It could be the actual sensor or the piston timing is off but I don't have the money to have someone fix things that I dont need to fix. Is there anything else it could be besides the crankshaft sensor?

My car has 146000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement $120.83 - $900.50 Get a Quote

This is a common symptom of a failing crankshaft position sensor and as the code indicates, this means the sensor needs to be replaced. A crankshaft position sensor is an electronic device used to monitor the position or rotational speed of the crankshaft. This information is used by engine management systems to control the fuel injection or the ignition system timing and other engine parameters. When this is faulty or not working properly, this will cause problems with the ignition system and generating spark transmission to the spark plugs resulting in starting problems and other performance issues causing misfires. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

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