Error Code P0322: What It Means & What To Do?

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The Distributor/Crankshaft Position Sensor calculates the exact rotating speed and crankshaft placement. This gives an important data signal that the Powertrain Control Module uses (PCM) to power up the Ignition Spark Timing and Fuel Delivery.

Code P0322 is launched when the Distributor/Crankshaft Position Sensor signal is disrupted and or undependable.

Utmost in cases, the crankshaft and distributor won’t necessarily be misplaced, but any other issue will lead to the code being stored.

What causes this problem with the Ignition/Distributor Engine Speed Input Circuit

No Signal?

• Defective or destroyed wiring or connections for the crankshaft position sensor
• Damaged crankshaft position sensor
• Broken camshaft position sensor
• Failed distributor position sensor
• Failed or damaged distributor
• Dropped charge on the battery
• Defective PCM (uncommon)

1. Powertrain Control Module - A failed PCM could get intermittent to a degree that your vehicle will be unable to start or it will begin stall when running. You will begin to see that exhaust fumes have shorted while the car runs, emissions system control signals are failing, so with a PCM that’s not functioning correctly, you must immediately have it replaced.
2. Battery - Cold temperatures causes the battery charge to drop, so the car will need to be revitalized to start. To keep this situation from happening again, a battery should be replaced before its volume drops to a serious level. An average car battery lasts from 5 to 7 years.
3. Distributor - A distributor that isn’t working properly can cause crucial damage to the engine. Plugged up filters can result in rough idling, but it's tough to indicate if a filter is clogged, so it's best to have it replaced at each tune-up.
4. Crankshaft Position Sensor - If the crankshaft position sensor or its wiring has any problems, it can result in a crankshaft signal disconnection while the engine is still running, which can cause the engine to stop immediately. If you conjecture that your crankshaft position sensor has a problem, have the vehicle examined by a professional mechanic.
5. Engine Control Module - Your vehicle might not start even after making sure it’s evident the battery and starter are working correctly. If your car's issues all point to a failed engine control module, it should be restored instantly to prevent further crucial risks to your vehicle.
6. Camshaft Position Sensor - As the camshaft position sensor debilitates, the signal it channels to the vehicle's ECM also weaken. Eventually, the signal will decline so much that it will switch off, and so will the engine. This can occur while the vehicle is parked, or while you are driving, so the sensor must be replaced.

Parts Avatar’s main objective is to be successful in satisfying our customers, as they mean everything to us, which is why we are to help you in diagnosing code P0322 by providing some practical symptoms as seen below:

Common Symptoms

• The engine delays when starting up or idling.
• The vehicle faces difficulties starting or does not start.
• The engine pauses if speeding up.
• The engine fails and can’t restart.

If you want to correct this code defect, then please do follow these particular steps. It takes keen attention to correct these issues. These are a few helpful methods to guide you in successfully correcting the OBD Code P0322:

• Repair or replace damaged or corroded wiring or connectors to the crankshaft position sensor, camshaft position sensor, and/or distributor position sensor
• Repair or replace the camshaft position sensor, crankshaft position sensor, and/or distributor position sensor
• Determine for a full power on the battery, or else have it replaced
• Replace the PCM (uncommon)

Regardless, if you deal with any problems then Parts Avatar has stored a broad stretch of great priced Powertrain Control Module, Battery, Distributor, Crankshaft Position Sensor, Camshaft Position Sensor, Engine Control Module and so much more to help you in repairing your car.

We have enlisted some helpful steps that you can follow to diagnose this P0322 error code:

• Manufacturers make effectively use the electromagnetic crankshaft position sensor in two dissimilar ways.
• Every design is outlined to use a reluctor ring or teeth that are binded to the crankshaft, as a way to impede with the stationary electromagnetic CSP sensor area. In turn, this produces what the PCM describes as a pattern in the form of square waves. These interferences provide to the PCM with an exact crankshaft placement.
• Undertake the first design by seeing when the PCM uses only the crankshaft position, which checks up on misfires and does not make a critical overview on spark timing or ignition.
• Engine control systems may permit the engine to start and run when using this kind of system, only except when a crankshaft position circuit is susceptible of failing, but the engine performance and fuel economy is most likely going to suffer.
• A Malfunction indicator lamp that illuminates may not take place until many failed attempts are recorded with this kind of system.
• Undertake the second design by seeing when the PCM uses the crankshaft position to measure spark timing and ignition control.
• A crankshaft position sensor that is failing within this system design will usually face up to a no-start setting, where a trouble code immediately gets stored, and a service engine soon lamp starts to illuminate, that is, if the first failure happens. Many specialty tools will be needed to successfully diagnose this code.
• These tools come as a scanner, a digital volt/ohmmeter, possibly even an oscilloscope.
• Start your diagnosis with a graphic examination of all wiring and connectors
• Adjust or Restore any damaged, disconnected, shorted, or corroded wiring, connectors, and automotive parts as needed
• After completing all repairs, continuously survey the system to make sure it is all successful. If all system wiring, connectors, and automotive parts, even fuses, show up to be in a normal performing sequence, hook up the scanner, or code reader, to the diagnostic connector and document all codes and freeze frame data that are stored.
• This data can be exceedingly useful to diagnose irregular settings that might have been given to this exact stored code.
• Continue with the operation by clearing out the code and running the vehicle to determine if it comes back.
• This process will assist in finding out if the malfunction is normal or irregular.
• After all the codes are cleared up, make sure to test drive the vehicle to determine if the code comes back.
• If the code doesn’t succeed in coming back instantly, the setting may turn out irregular.
• Irregular settings are proven to be very staggering when doing a diagnosis and in radical situations might enable the process to worsen before you can make a correct diagnosis.
• When an irregular setting happens, you can make an effective use of the oscilloscope to survey forms of square waves that the distributor, camshaft, and/or crankshaft sensor(s) produces, as you are searching for errors or discrepancies. A practical beginning points for making an achievable diagnosis of the crankshaft position sensor is by detecting for an engine RPM signal when cranking or running the engine.
• Achieve this by using a scanner or overviewing the vehicle tachometer while the engine is being powered up, by using the starter, or when running, which relies on CPS system design.
• If you haven’t detected an RPM signal, then do a graphic examination of the crankshaft gear, crankshaft position sensor, and sensor connector for corrosion, damage and adjustments as needed.
• If you haven’t found any evidence of damage, then examine the CPS system to source a voltage signal, which is usually 5-volts, but do detect for manufacturer’s discerning.
• If you can enter within an oscilloscope, you could examine the CPS signal wire to spot for an occurrence of a square 5-volt pattern in in forms of square waves, to make sure every engine is radically changing.
• If you haven’t discovered a pattern, then examine if the disengaged CSP sensor resists and make a comparison of values when referring to the manufacturer’s identifications.
• The CSP sensor may check out, so survey the system circuitry for finding out the correct voltage and resistance.
• Adjust open or shorted wiring as needed
• A PCM failure is definitely possible, but it’s uncommon and this should tire any other likelihood before disapproving the PCM. Being used in an equivalent way to the crankshaft position sensor is by the camshaft position sensor and distributor hall-effect sensor.
• Contributions of data are put in between the three sensors to assist in controlling the ignition timing and fuel delivery. The camshaft position sensor is an electrode that communicates with a metal reluctor ring, or gear, on either a single end or camshaft of the other.
• Engines that make practical use of several camshafts, especially with dual-overhead cam engines, are installed with several camshaft position sensors.
• While the reluctor is flowing past the sensor, an exact situated hole or tooth gap interferes with the pattern in square waveforms that a sensor to the PCM is transmitting.
• This interference has a mutual connection with an ignition timing source value that set to input within the PCM.
• Discrepancies by a sourced timing value created by the manufacturer, and visualized in waveforms of voltage, will result in a code being stored and probably a malfunction indicator lamp will start illuminated. In case the code comes back, start with a perceptible examination of the distributor, camshaft and crankshaft position sensor system wiring, also the electrical connectors.
• Surmise that system circuitry has locations which are polluted with oil, antifreeze, or power steering fluid which is dripping out of the engine.
• If finding wiring that has misplaced or deformed sealed coating, have it adjusted or restored as needed. If finding no evident issues with the system circuitry, then conduct a resistance examination at the crankshaft, camshaft, and distributor position sensors, also a voltage examination on the sensor connector.
• Make practical use of the digital volt/ohmmeter test source voltage where the sensors are at and do a comparison of your discoveries using the clearly identified source voltage by the manufacturer.
• Ensuring that system sourced voltage writings match up to the clearly identified values, otherwise if the sensor resistance values do not occur at the same time, exchange the camshaft sensor, distributor hall-effect sensor, and the crankshaft sensor. The system voltage writings may not occur at the same time as the clearly identified sourced figures by the manufacturer, use your digital volt/ohmmeter to detect system consistencies.
• Be safe when detecting values of resistance in wiring attached to the PCM
• If wanting better results, disengage the electrical connector out of the PCM, before using an ohmmeter on where the harness side is on the circuit.
• Take in mind that PCM falters can possibly happen, but is so uncommon.

Common Mistakes When Diagnosing the P0322 Code

If spotting that the engine misfires when a code P0322 is stored, you must diagnose what caused the misfire before continuing to rectify the code. If not solving the error, the mechanic may waste time replacing sensors or conducting other repairs that are not resolving the code or solving the issue surrounding the misfires.