Synthetic oil causes a camshaft sensor to go bad?

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My friend had a CEL illuminate on her well-maintained 2006 Hyundai Sonata 3.3L the other day.

She took it to a Hyundai dealer she trusted (I've been to that shop previously and the service department came off as being customer oriented and knowledgeable. Surprise, I know) and they read the code as a camshaft sensor problem.

They mentioned she had over 4k miles since her last oil change and she told them she was using a full syn (Platinum 5w-20) for 7k mile OCIs.

While she did not tell them the viscosity or brand, just that it was a full syn, they replied it could be the oil that caused the camshaft sensor problem.

I had a good laugh when I heard that. I hope she got that in writing so SOPUS can laugh, too.

That Sonata has 43k miles on it. The oil filter used each OCI is an OEM filter.
 
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Originally Posted By: Johnny
Sounds like they just might not be knowledgeable when it comes to oil.

Agreed. Also sounds like a freak coincidence.
 
Well, lemme follow-up by asking what WOULD cause a camshaft sensor problem?

I've heard of camshaft problems, but not sensor problems.
 
If you had mentioned Pennzoil, I bet you would have gotten the old "wax story".

Dealer techs aggravate me so much sometimes.

"Oh, you have this aftermarket part...this caused the part (that has a widespread history of premature failure) to fail." (even though it is completely unrelated)

When you find a good dealer tech, stick with them.
 
Originally Posted By: dkryan
Well, lemme follow-up by asking what WOULD cause a camshaft sensor problem?...

The only camshaft sensor failures that I've seen have been related to engine heat cycling over time in high mileage cars. The wiring gets brittle and soon the sensor throws a code. In V-8 or V-6 engines, if one sensor fails, I replace both sensors as a precaution.

Overall, I found that most of them are very reliable with no sudden total failures. Even the ones that throw the codes function well enough to keep the engine running smoothly enough to avoid the "walk home" engine mode of operation.
 
Maybe it was made with some REALLY cheap materials? It is a Hyundai after all.

Jk kind of...
 
Now JHZR2,

My friend's Sonata and the camshaft sensor lasted longer than the tranny seals in my 2002 Saab 9-3 SE.

Her engine threw a CEL. There is no final word on whether the camshaft sensor was actually faulty.

Unlike that left side tranny seal on the Saab 5-speed manual that threw lube all over the housing at 28k miles. Sure, the seals were replaced under warranty with no cost to me, but with Saab's "Born from Jets" advertising slogan, I began to search in earnest for the Martin-Baker ejection seat handle!

And to think I worried about the DIC in that Saab.
 
Hey, I cant help it if both were faulty. Every manufacturer has a lemon now and again.

My mother's cam sensor started leaking heavily. it was just a piece of plastic with an o-ring really, everything was encapsulated/potted in plastics/resins/epoxies... Which was why I made the comment - still marginally kidding about it - because a poorly selected material COULD have some level of chemical compatibility - and hot oil, syn or not, could have caused it to degrade to the point where it was bad.

Granted, then Id think it would be a more widespread thing, but all the same, it could be a possibiity.
 
Originally Posted By: FZ1
Warranty avoidance maneuver.

The car has a basic 6 year/60k mile warranty on everything, plus 10 years/100k miles on the powertrain. At 43k miles, it would be tough for the dealer to avoid warranty work.

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Granted, then Id think it would be a more widespread thing, but all the same, it could be a possibiity.

Yeah, it could be the quality of the sensor itself as opposed to an actual engine problem. The service manager said he has had to replace c/s sensors on Sonatas. However, the engines were of a different displacement, they had much higher mileage on the engine(s), and he said the owners used dino oil and went well past the recommended OCI for that engine.

Nope, he did not say what dino oil was used nor the actual OCI for those engines.
 
Did a new sensor fix the problem?

I had experience with my Ford ZX2 throwing a cam sensor code. It turns out the heavy oil I was using made the VCT (variable cam timing) solenoid act sluggish.
 
No new sensor.

The service department re-set the CEL and drove it for 15-20 miles with no new CEL illumination.

They told her to return if the CEL illuminated and if the code was the same, they'd change the sensor.

She uses Platinum 5w-20, which is the viscosity spec'd for the engine.
 
Think I would stick with warranty prescribed oci. Isn't the warranty 10/100?
 
I have heard of people getting that error due to the cam timing not being correct due to wrong viscosity oil causing the valve timing actuators to move too slowly or to fast. I have heard of this in sludged motors too. I have never actually seen a cam position or phase sensor damaged by improper oil. They do fail sometimes though - but not usually in pairs.
 
What goes out and causes cam sensor codes?
Wiring failure, connector, or the actual sensor itself.
Unless someone physically broke a part off of the cam, it is rarely that end.

But like KESTAS mentioned, a cam sensor code can be given for other incidental reasons, like a faulty variable cam timing system or simply cam timing that jumped a tooth.
 
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