Technical Description of OBD-II Trouble Code
Malfunction in the Circuit A of the Crankshaft Position Sensor
What does that signify?
This diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is a generic powertrain code that is applicable to vehicles equipped with OBD-II. Although it is a generic code, the specific repair steps may vary depending on the make and model of the vehicle.
The crankshaft position sensor (CKP) is responsible for measuring the location of the crankshaft and transmitting this information to the PCM (Powertrain Control Module).
Depending on the vehicle, the PCM uses this information about the crankshaft position to ensure proper spark timing or, in some systems, solely for detecting misfires without controlling spark timing. The CKP sensor remains stationary and works in conjunction with a reluctor ring (or toothed ring) that is attached to the crankshaft. As the reluctor ring passes in front of the CKP sensor, it interrupts the magnetic field created by the sensor, generating a square wave voltage signal that the PCM interprets as the crankshaft position. If the PCM detects a lack of crankshaft pulses or identifies an issue with the pulses on the output circuit, it will trigger the P0335 code.
Other trouble codes related to the crank position sensor include:
Symptoms
NOTE: If the crank sensor is only used for misfire detection and not spark timing (this varies depending on the vehicle), the vehicle should start and run with the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated. Additionally, some vehicles may require several key cycles for the MIL to illuminate. In such cases, the MIL may not illuminate until the problem occurs frequently over time. If the crank sensor is used for both misfire detection and spark timing, the vehicle may or may not start. Symptoms may include:
Causes
A P0335 “check engine light” code could be caused by:
Possible Solutions
This code is essentially the same as P0385. The code P0335 refers to Crankshaft Position Sensor “A”, while P0385 refers to Crankshaft Position Sensor “B”. Other crank sensor codes include P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0335, P0336, P0337, P0338, P0339, P0385, P0386, P0387, P0388, and P0389.
