Q: I was wondering if you could tell me what happens when the camshaft gears get stuck?

asked by on November 14, 2016

My car was parked for 6 months, no problems prior to that. Came back to pick it up & it will not accelerate past 2500rpm or the car starts to pull back. I was told the Cam gears are locked up & the timing chain components need changing. Would the car be able to drive if the cam gears lock up on it, or if the timing chain components need changing? Would that be a result of the car just siting for the 6 months?

My car has 25000 miles.

Hi and thanks for contacting YourMechanic. Lock camshaft gears will not turn the camshaft and cause the timing belt or chain to break. This is not your issue. What could be happening is the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) or Idle Air Control Valve (IAC) could have failed. The TPS will keep the engine from accelerating to a certain position to prevent damage if the sensor has failed. The IAC could make the RPM’s fluctuate at idle or during operation due to lack of communication to the TPS and computer.

Check both the TPS and IAC for functionality and replace which ever one is damaged. Since your vehicle is at 25,000 miles, the warranty is still within the Manufactures Warranty guidelines. I recommend taking your vehicle to the dealership to have the sensors checked and replaced.

If the dealership will not cover the sensors for some reason, then seek out a professional, such as one from YourMechanic, to help you with a proper diagnoses of your acceleration issue.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

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