When you have problems or your Honda Civic crankshaft position sensor begins to fail, your Honda Civic could stop running. If your crankshaft position sensor is failing intermittently, this is a seriously dangerous condition and should be taken care of right away. Do not drive your Honda Civic if your crankshaft position sensor is having problems.
Because the crankshaft position sensor error is intermittent, the ECU is not getting all the information in relation to the crankshaft. Without this data, the ECU will not know what position the engine is at, and thus will not know when to activate your fuel injectors, or ignite the combustion. If you are driving at speed, an intermittent crank shaft position sensor failure will shut your engine off.
If your Honda Civic is equipped with an automatic transmission, this is big trouble. You will not have power brakes, power steering or the use of your engine or shifter until you can manage to come to a stop.
It goes without saying that you should not drive your car if you have such an intermittent crankshaft position sensor problem. If your Honda Civic is turning off while you are driving, or the engine shuts off on the freeway, check your crankshaft position sensor first.
Today we’ll be showing you how to test a Honda Civic crankshaft position sensor in a 2002 Honda Civic LX. This model of Honda Civic is the first to use the newer 1.7 liter D17 engine.
This Honda Civic has a OBDII DTC trouble code of P0336 which signals a problem with the crankshaft position sensor. The specific language for this trouble code is Crank Sensor Intermittent Interruption.
What is my 1.7 liter Honda Civic crankshaft position sensor part number?
The crank shaft position sensor in your Honda Civic is part number 37500-PLC-015, with a few aftermarket part number interchanges like PC477, or PC477T. In order to reach this crank position sensor, it’s a good idea to disconnect the negative terminal of your battery.
Where is my Honda Civic crank position sensor located?
The 1.7 liter D17 VTEC engine found in this Civic has the crankshaft position sensor located near the crank pulley. It’s connected by way of a three pin connector, and I’ll be showing you how to test the crank position sensor to see if it’s failed, or if you problem lies elsewhere.
If you are changing your 1.7 D17 timing belt, checking your sensor is best done at the same time. You can check this without removing the front engine cover of your D17 by removing the driver side wheel and jack up the vehicle.
When raising your Honda Civic, always use the proper safety measures and use extreme caution. Performing a Honda Civic crankshaft position sensor test is easy using a multimeter. If you don’t know what a multimeter is, check our article here for some tips.
What is the 1.7 liter Honda Civic crankshaft position sensor wiring schematic?
There’s three primary wires on your crankshaft position sensor. Checking the wiring diagram below for your 2001 Honda Civic, from left to right facing the wiring harness you will see pins A through C. Pin A is a blue wire and is the signal wire for your 1.7 liter D17 Honda Civic. If your intermittent signal is persistent, or your car is shutting off, this wire is one you will need to check closely.
Inspect the wire for any fraying or stripped covering, which can lead to wire rot and signal degradation. Once you find the damaged section of wire, you can simply snip it out and replace with a wire of the same gauge.
PIN B or the middle wire is a BROWN / YELLOW wire and represents the ground. PIN C is the YELLOW / BLACK wire that supplies power from the main relay. If you have issues with the power wire, you will need to check the condition of your Honda Civic main relay.
What happens if my Check Engine Light is not on and my sensor fails?
If you are dealing with a intermittent signal from your Honda Civic crankshaft position sensor, this can happen and in fact does pretty frequently. In fact, one of the biggest causes of your 1.7 liter D17 2001+ Honda Civic not starting is from crankshaft position sensor failure.
Regardless of whether or not your check engine light is on, if your Honda isn’t starting and you think it’s the crank position sensor, the next step is to test your Honda Civic crankshaft position sensor.
Checking the Crankshaft Position Sensor for Power
Insert the key into the ignition and turn to the “ON” position, but do not start the vehicle. Unplug your D17 Honda Civic crankshaft position sensor connector.
Use an extension wire from the negative post on your battery, and connect it to the black lead of your multimeter. Gently probe the front of the crankshaft position sensor at PIN C or the yellow/black wire. You are looking for 12 volts DC here at this wire.
Next check PIN B or the middle wire for ground by reversing the wires and checking the front of the brown/yellow wire. Never force the tip of your multimeter probe down into the slot of your connector.
If you have power and ground at these two wires, and there’s no sign of any damage to your signal wire (PIN A – BLUE) then chances are you will need to replace your crankshaft position sensor.
Once you have replaced your Honda Civic crankshaft sensor, use a scan tool to remove the code from your ECU.
Have any questions about our How To Test a Honda Civic Crankshaft Position Sensor guide? Let us know below!