P0018 Code- Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation Bank 2 Sensor 'A'

What Does Code P0018 Mean

P0018 is the OBD-II generic code indicating that the camshaft position sensor A for bank 2 does not correlate to the signal from the crankshaft position sensor.

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Possible symptoms

• Engine Light ON (or Service Engine Soon Warning Light)
• Engine hard to start
• Engine stall while driving

Possible causes

• Mechanical timing fault
• Blocked oil passage
• Low oil level
• Faulty Intake ('A') Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor
• Faulty Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor

Troubleshooting P0018

• Perform a visual inspection of the sensors and connections.

Many problems can easily be found in the harness and connectors. So, begin your diagnosis by visually inspecting the sensors and their connections.

• Test the sensor output

Testing the sensor varies slightly, depending on which type of sensor your vehicle uses.

• Permanent magnet sensor: A permanent magnet sensor can be tested using an ohmmeter. Remove the sensor connector and attach the meter to the sensor terminals. Consult the manufactures repair information for the resistance specifications. Of course, a meter reading of OL measure there is an open in the sensor and it should be replaced. Next, crank the engine and watch the ohmmeter – the reading should fluctuate. You can also do this with your meter set to read AC voltage. If there is no change in the reading, the sensor is bad and should be replaced.

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Testing a permanent magnet sensor
(Courtesy: autozone.com)

• Hall Effect sensor: Using the repair information for your vehicle, determine which pin on the sensor connector is the signal return wire. Using your multimeter on the DC voltage setting, back probe the sensor wire. Attach the black multimeter cable to battery ground. Cranking the engine, you should see the voltage reading on the meter fluctuate.

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Testing a Hall Effect Sensor
(Courtesy: autorepairhelp.us)

Note that a damaged or improperly aligned tone ring will also prevent proper sensor operation. When in doubt, remove the cam gear and the crankshaft harmonic balancer and inspect the tone rings.

• Test the sensors circuits

If the cam and cranks sensor check out OK, but you still have P0018 code illuminated, you’ll need to check the sensor circuit.

• Permanent magnet sensor: A permanent magnet sensor produces its own voltage, so it will only have two wires going to it – ground and return signal. Start by consulting the wiring diagram for your vehicle to determine which pin on the connector is signal and which is ground.Next, connect the red multimeter lead to the battery positive terminal and the black lead to the ground pin. You should see a reading of about 12 volts indicating a good ground. If not, you’ll need to consult the ground side of the wiring diagram to find where the circuit fault lies. Next, check that there is continuity to the PCM. You can do this by touching one meter lead to the return signal pin on the sensor connector and the other to signal pin on the PCM. Set your meter to the ohms setting – you should see a value appear on the screen. If instead, your meter reads OL, you have an open circuit and will need to trace the factory wiring diagram.

• Hall Effect Sensor: A Hall Effect Sensor has three wires: signal, reference and ground. Start by consulting the wiring diagram for your vehicle to determine which pin on the connector is which. Next, connect the red multimeter lead to the battery positive terminal and the black lead to the ground pin. You should see a reading of about 12 volts indicating a good ground. Then, check that the 5-volt reference is getting to the sensor by connecting the red multimeter lead to the reference voltage pin and the other to ground. You should see a reading of about 5 volts indicating a good reference voltage. Finally, check that there is continuity to the PCM. You can do this by touching one meter lead to the return signal pin on the sensor connector and the other to signal pin on the PCM. Set your meter to the ohms setting – you should see a value appear on the screen. If instead, your meter reads OL, you have an open circuit and will need to trace the factory wiring diagram.

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• Test the sensor synchronization

scan tools, but unfortunately, that parameter can’t always be trusted. The best way to test cam and crank sensors, as well as their synchronization, is with an oscilloscope. Increasingly more manufactures are offering sample wave form patterns in their repair information, which should be consulted before testing. The timing relationship (synchronization) of the two sensors will be distorted if a timing belt jumps time, a cam gear slips, a timing chain gets loose or a cam phaser misbehaves. Cracked reluctors and missing reluctors can also lead to an altered waveform pattern.

Hooking up a scope to a Hall Effect sensor
(Courtesy: autozone)

If the synchronization pattern is distorted, you need to find out why. In most cases, this will involve engine disassembly to the point of failure. Removing the timing cover and checking that the timing marks line up is one of the first things to do. Both timing belts and timing chains may stretch over time and/or have a failed tensioner.

An example of a cam and crank pattern
(Courtesy: aa1car.com)

Variable valve timing (VVT) system components can cause cam/crank correlation problems as well. These systems are often dependent on oil pressure, so checking the oil level is a good place to start. A plugged or failed oil control valve can also cause VVT problems.

VVT system
(Courtesy: f150online.com)

VVT solenoids can be tested for continuity or resistance with a digital multimeter. The solenoid circuit should also be tested for proper power and ground. In addition, the solenoids can also be removed and jumpered to battery voltage to confirm operation. Many scan tools also offer bi-directional testing of the solenoids with just the push of a button.

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