Diagnostic Codes Reliability

Mace · Post by **Mace** » 06 Oct 2007, 12:47

I swear I feel like I'm coming back here every other week because of some issue with my car!!!

Anyway, my car won't start (I know, I know, join the club, right?) and when I ran the diagnostic code tests on it, the fuel system came up clear and I got a 3-1-4 code with the ignition system test (camshaft position sensor absent).

It's my understanding that this would be a cause for my car not to start, right? Because of that code, I figured I'd just go and buy another sensor (and as a result, having to eat ramen for a good while because of that price....yikes!). It's just that I've already purchased another battery on it already, and being as my money situation is a bit desperate at the moment, I'm really hoping I'm not going to spend all this money just to have the problem lie elsewhere.

Making a long story short, how reliable typically are those diagnostic codes? I've run it twice now, with the same results. Is it ever possible that the problem could be with something else, even though the code didn't come up (I've still yet to try a last ditch test on my fuel pump relay to see if that's a problem), or better yet, sending out a false code? I realize that the best thing I can do is miraculously come up with the money to have it towed somewhere but my problem is that there is nowhere close that I would prefer to take it, so I'm using that as a last resort at the moment....

Klausc · Post by **Klausc** » 06 Oct 2007, 13:49

Your 3-1-4 is probably correct. Cam position sensors are there for a lot of diagnostic reasons and will keep the car from starting. The usual culprit is the wiring and its associated plug.
So, unplug the CPS and clean it with an old toothbrush, yours - not your roomates

Just buy yourself a new one and make your teeth happy.
If that doesn't work, people have removed the CPS and cleaned the contacts to solve the problem.

Klaus

Mace · Post by **Mace** » 06 Oct 2007, 15:10

Yeah, I looked in my Haynes manual and it seems pretty basic to remove/refit (as in there doesn't look to be any special adjustments that need to be made and whatnot), so I'll probably have my bf do that when he gets the chance. Hopefully cleaning it and the contacts will do the trick. *fingers crossed*. Thanks for the tip!