B12A7 — Steering Column Tilt Sensor A

Causes

• Open or short in wiring between sensor and control module
• Poor or corroded connector at sensor or control module
• Damaged or failed steering column tilt sensor (sensor A)
• Incorrect sensor calibration or software fault
• Intermittent power or ground supply to the sensor
• Related module communication fault

Symptoms

• Steering column tilt memory not working or incorrect position
• Warning lamp or message related to steering or driver assist systems
• Adaptive steering/steering-angle dependent systems may behave incorrectly or be disabled
• Stored fault code and possible limp or degraded functionality for related systems
• Intermittent loss of tilt input (may change with column movement)

What to check

• Scan for freeze-frame data and related codes; note when the fault occurs
• Visually inspect sensor connector and wiring for damage, corrosion, or loose pins
• Check for proper power and ground at the sensor connector with ignition on
• Backprobe sensor signal while moving column to confirm output changes
• Check continuity and resistance of wiring between sensor and control module
• Check for related network/communication codes that could affect the sensor data

Signal parameters

• Typical sensor supply: 5 V reference (verify with vehicle-specific data)
• Typical signal output: variable voltage proportional to tilt angle (commonly 0.1–4.9 V range) — verify exact range in service data
• Expected idle/rest signal around mid-scale (often ≈2.5 V) depending on column position
• Resistance or angle values will change smoothly as column is moved; abrupt jumps indicate fault
• Communication-type sensors may transmit angle data over network (check module data values)

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