Xantia (etc) Petrol Engine - Crank Angle Sensor

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 23 Oct 2009, 11:51

I'm getting a recurring code (after clearing correctly) for this "Engine speed sensor", and the car is stumbling sometimes as though it's on the verge of cutting out.

At 150K kilometres, with ample rough roads and a hard life generally, is the part likely to have failed? As in, does this part commonly fail, or is the stumble and code due to some interlinking detail - like the seatbelt pretensioner plugs causing airbag warning lights to trip?

RRP for the sensor here, is $185 - that's £104. I haven't investigated interchanges other than across the PSA marques.

Thanks, Adam.

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 23 Oct 2009, 13:41

Hi Adam, I don't know about the PSA motors as I can't recall ever seeing a reported failed engine speed sensor but some modern Fords for instance, do seem to have design problems where the engine speed sensor doesn't fail but moves beyond range or the gap is interfered with somehow such as with accumulation of dirt etc and causes the running symptoms you've given. Perhaps it's worth checking it hasn't dislodged or is in need of clean? Do you have test equipment to view the signal or lack of?

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 24 Oct 2009, 09:35

Some good suggestions, thanks Mike.

I think one of my greatest hurdles is downtime. It would actually be fun to muck around with a scope and feed it some signals.

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 30 Oct 2009, 10:18

I ended up replacing it with a Chinese sensor for $77, and then logged an IAC fault!

That's newly replaced with OEM, too...

Starting to suspect the battery is past the best days of its life - might be time to load test it...