Bad Timing: Cam/Crank Sensor Issues Tank Performance

Had the exact same symptoms on my 2010 Chevy Traverse last winter. The engine light came on, and the car felt like it was running on half its cylinders. The crankshaft position sensor was failing intermittently, causing timing issues and messing with the engine's performance. The faulty crank sensor was making the engine computer lose track of piston positions, which explains the terrible fuel economy and sluggish acceleration. In my case, the timing chain was also showing wear, so both repairs were done together. It's not something you want to ignore, a failed crank sensor can leave you stranded, and a worn timing chain can cause serious engine damage if it breaks. The diagnostic showed clear correlation between the sensor's signal drops and engine misfires. It's definitely a job for a certified shop since they'll need proper diagnostic tools to verify the sensor signals and timing chain condition. The fix sorted all issues, no more check engine light, power was restored, and fuel economy went back to normal.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Traverse sensor issues. I had something really similar happen with my Equinox about 6 months ago, rough running, check engine light, and terrible gas mileage. The shop diagnosed a failing camshaft sensor causing unusual misfires, but they also found the timing belt was pretty worn. Just wondering, do you remember roughly what the repair cost ended up being for your crank sensor and timing chain work? And has everything been running smoothly since the fix? Asking because I'm noticing a slight vibration again and want to make sure I'm not heading for another sensor problem.

Got my Traverse working perfectly now after seeing the mechanic. The crankshaft to camshaft reference value is back to spec, turned out the crank sensor was totally shot, causing those nasty misfires and performance issues we both experienced. The repair bill came to 340 for just the crank sensor replacement. Definitely worth every penny though, the engine light is gone, no more vibrations, and it's running smooth as silk. Much cheaper than having to deal with potential engine damage from letting a faulty sensor go too long. If you're feeling vibrations again, don't wait around. These sensor issues can pop up as they age, and the symptoms you're describing sound really familiar. When the crank sensor starts failing, it messes with the engine timing and can cause all sorts of problems. Better to catch it early before it leaves you stranded somewhere. My timing chain was actually still good, so I got lucky there. But yeah, everything's been rock solid since getting that sensor replaced six months ago. No more misfires or performance issues at all.

Thanks everyone for the input. Finally took my Equinox to a certified shop yesterday after the vibrations got worse. Glad I didn't wait any longer, turned out both the camshaft sensor and timing belt needed replacement. The mechanic showed me how the old timing belt was starting to crack and the sensor was giving inconsistent readings affecting engine synchronization. Bill came to around €800 total, more than I wanted to spend but the difference in performance is like night and day. No more sluggish acceleration or check engine lights. Engine's running smooth again and I'm already noticing better fuel economy. The shop also did a full computer diagnostic and gave me printouts showing the before/after sensor readings. Pretty eye-opening to see how bad the timing was between the crankshaft and camshaft before the fix. Definitely learned my lesson about not ignoring these symptoms when they first show up.