Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement Cost – What You Need To Know!

The crankshaft position sensor is a key part of the engine in your vehicle. The average price of a crankshaft position sensor replacement cost is between $194 and $258, with the labor costs estimated between $104 and $133, while the cost of the parts is generally between $90 and $125. 

 

Of course, the price of this replacement cost can vary depending on if you try the repair yourself, what mechanic you go to, the location you are in, your vehicle’s make and model, and the engine type within your car. 

 

To best determine how much you will spend on this replacement, we have given you the function of the sensor in your vehicle and the importance of this part. By knowing the mechanism of the position sensor and the function in your vehicle, you will understand why you need to get it replaced as soon as you notice any performance issues in your vehicle. 

What is the crankshaft position sensor?

 

One of your vehicle’s engine system’s main important components and one that deals with the engine quality management is the crankshaft sensor or the crankshaft position sensor. The vehicle’s main feature is to analyze the crankshaft’s position and the rotational speed, determining how fast and when it spins. This component is basically present in almost all modern cars that contain an internal combustion engine. 

 

• Crankshaft Position Sensor Mechanism

 

The engine control unit uses the crankshaft sensor’s information and data after the transmission. This transference of information and data ensures improved efficiency of the injection timing and the ignition timing, which can help the longevity and the engine performance of your car. 

 

The main components that are crucial for the crankshaft position sensor to read the data correctly are the position and the speed of the crankshaft. Both of these factors can help give you an idea of how much the price of the crankshaft position sensor replacement cost will be. 

 

• Location of the Crankshaft Position Sensor

 

The crankshaft position sensor’s position might vary depending on what kind of car you have, like the make, model, and year, the engine model, and the manufacturer. The crankshaft position sensor sits right on the engine block, positioned directly above the water. Usually, you can find this position sensor on the front of the engine on the timing cover. 

Symptoms of a bad crankshaft position sensor 

 

The most common symptoms of a bad, failing, or faulty crankshaft position sensor are noticeable. Since the signs are obvious to the driver and passengers, you will be able to tell where the issues are coming from and the best way to prevent them from getting worse over time. Keeping the issues at bay can help keep the total crankshaft position sensor replacement cost as low as possible. 

 

The most common symptoms are that your vehicle might not start or the engine will stop while driving, stalling when you're driving down the road and resulting in a dangerous condition. You can also experience the engine misfiring and see the check engine light illuminated on your dash, a clear sign of a higher crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

There are common symptoms that can help you figure out whether your car's crankshaft position sensor is not working correctly. Diagnosing the problems in your car can help you determine how much you will have to pay for the crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

• Check Engine Light Illuminates on Dashboard

 

The check engine light comes on for many reasons – one of these common reasons is sensor failure. Other reasons that the check engine light comes on can be due to oxygen sensor failure, loose fuel caps, catalytic converter failure, spark plug, and ignition coil issues. Further issues for the check engine light coming on in your vehicle are bad spark plug wires, mass airflow sensor failure, issues with the aftermarket alarm, vacuum leak, and exhaust gas recirculation valve failure.

 

However, in this case, it refers to sensor failure and how much it will be for a crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. If the engine runs for an extended period, the sensors could stop working due to the increased friction and heat generation within the engine, causing the check engine light to turn on. 

 

It is recommended by mechanics that you have your vehicle checked periodically to determine the cause of the check engine light coming on. Knowing the cause of the light on your dashboard, you can have a better idea of the total crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

• Loss of Acceleration

 

 

The second symptom of a faulty crankshaft position sensor that might justify the crankshaft position sensor replacement cost is a loss of acceleration at high speed. This is generally due to a defective crankshaft sensor. What happens with this is that the engine control unit does not receive the right information about the faulty sensor, which results in an issue with synchronizing the engine pistons together and with the engine.

 

The engine control unit is a series of actuators within the internal combustion engine that ensures optimal engine performance. If this is not working properly, then the crankshaft position sensor will not be able to get the right information. Furthermore, the wrong ignition timing in your engine and fuel injection can cause poor acceleration and the inability to speed up while driving. 

 

The inability to accelerate your car while driving, and the engine control unit’s problems can cause a much higher crankshaft position sensor replacement cost in your vehicle. 

 

• Engine Vibrations

 

Suppose the crankshaft position sensor is failing, and you think you need a replacement. In that case, you will get confirmation if the crankshaft position can no longer be determined or analyzed by the sensor. This can cause the engine to start vibrating while running, reducing the overall engine performance and increasing mileage. 

 

The engine’s heavy vibrations reduce your car’s fuel economy, reduce the gas mileage, and reduce the miles per gallon you can get from your car. The reduction in fuel efficiency and fuel economy can easily cause a spike in the total crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

• Increase in Fuel Consumption

 

This goes hand in hand with the engine vibration. If the crankshaft position sensor is failing and you are trying to determine the crankshaft position sensor replacement cost, this can be affected by the faulty position sensor. 

 

Suppose the position sensor is not working correctly. In that case, the spark timing and the fuel injection are not effectively working, resulting in an engine disturbance, like engine vibrations, and a loss of fuel efficiency, reducing the overall miles per gallon earned. 

 

If you notice that your vehicle is using more fuel than normal for the same amount of mileage driven, then this could be due to a defective crankshaft position sensor. Noticing this defective sensor can help you prevent the symptoms from getting worse, helping to lower the overall crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

• Issues With Starting the Car 

 

When you notice that there are issues with turning the car, whether it be turning the key in the ignition or the engine sputtering, you will have to figure out how this affects the crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

As soon as the crankshaft position sensor fails, the on-board computer, also known as the electronic control module, will receive a fault code that you can analyze using a diagnostic tool containing key information about the crankshaft position sensor failure. 

 

In the beginning, the car will have difficulty starting or turning on due to the improper timing and the fuel settings that are in your car. Later on, this problem will worsen over time, and the car will refrain from starting at all. Ensure this is not due to an electrical fault or a poor connection in your car, but due to the sensor, causing a higher crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

• Engine Misfiring

 

Your engine misfiring means that one of the three key components of your engine system – either the fuel, the oxygen, or the spark – is not working in the correct order, and they are not firing at the proper time. The cylinders in your car’s engine are supposed to light and fire in a particular order. If this does not occur, it can greatly impact the engine quality and your vehicle’s performance and the overall crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

An engine misfire occurs when the onboard computer does not have enough information to decide the position, leading to the incorrect timing and a misfire of the cylinder. Engine misfires can be caused by a defective crankshaft position sensor or a faulty spark plug. Analyzing engine misfires can help you determine the overall price of the crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

 

• Engine Stalling

 

Along with the issue that your car will experience when trying to accelerate at high speeds, like on the highway, you may find the engine will stop or stall when you are driving at lower speeds. If your car sputters at low speeds, the problem can most likely be attributed to the crankshaft sensor, showing that you might need the crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. The crankshaft position sensor is usually the problem since this part of your car is responsible for the ignition timing. 

Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement Cost

 

The average cost of a crankshaft sensor usually ranges from $115 to $300, with labor costing between $40 and $200, and the parts itself ranging upwards of $150 total. The cost of replacing the crankshaft sensor in your car can vary depending on the type of car you have, where you are, the product quality, the brand used, the mechanic you visit, and the labor costs. 

 

• Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement Steps

 

The crankshaft position sensor, as we know, is a huge component of your engine management system, which can negatively affect your vehicle if it is not working correctly. If you are sure that your crankshaft position sensor has failed and needs a replacement, then you can try to do this by self-installation to reduce the overall crankshaft position sensor replacement cost.

 

However, suppose the symptoms are severe and the problem remains partially undetected for a longer period of time. In that case, you might want to bring your car to the mechanic since other problems can arise from this wait in replacements and repairs.

 

The crankshaft position sensor replacement’s main steps involve removing the disarm plug, finding the crankshaft location in your vehicle, getting clear access to the crankshaft position sensor, inspecting the location of the sensor and removing connections, and releasing the electrical connections.

 

After these steps, you can remove the sensor mounting bolt, remove the crankshaft position sensor, match the new sensor with the previous sensor you are replacing, and install the new position sensor. Once the new sensor is installed, you can fix it with the bolt mount, plug the electrical connections back in, replace the parts you removed for access, and reconnect the battery.

 

• Diagnosing the Crankshaft Position Sensor 

 

One of the easiest ways to diagnose the issue is by using this diagnostic scan tool. Another way that you can analyze the issue and fix the problem is by reading the engine RPM. This technique can also be performed using the same diagnostic scan tool by reading the engine speed in revolutions per minute and analyzing the crankshaft position sensor’s data. 

 

Use the diagnostic tool by starting the engine, and see if the reading is between 10 and 50 RPM. If it is, then the crankshaft position sensor is working properly, and you do not need to worry about the crankshaft position sensor replacement cost. 

Conclusion

 

Knowing how much you will spend on a crankshaft position sensor replacement cost can give you an idea of how important this part is in your vehicle! By noticing the signs and symptoms of a faulty sensor, like the check engine light coming on, loss of acceleration, engine vibration, increase in mileage, starting the car problems, and engine misfiring, you can quickly diagnose the problem.