Code
P0371
Generic
P — Powertrain
Timing Reference High Resolution Signal A Too Many Pulses
Views:
UK: 13
EN: 16
RU: 10
AI status
Completed
Completed
100%
Causes
- Damaged or contaminated timing tone/reluctor wheel (broken teeth, debris)
- Faulty high-resolution timing sensor (Hall effect or VR)
- Short, intermittent short to voltage, or wiring harness damage (chafing, corrosion)
- Poor sensor grounding or power supply/ reference voltage issues
- Connector corrosion, bent pins or poor mating
- Aftermarket modifications to crank/cam reluctor or incorrect replacement wheel
Symptoms
- Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination
- Engine misfire, rough idle or intermittent stalling
- Hard starting or no-start condition (if timing calculation fails)
- Reduced engine performance and drivability issues
- Irregular rpm, surging, or unexpected RPM spikes
- Stored freeze frame and related cam/crank timing codes
What to check
- Read and record freeze frame and all stored DTCs with a scan tool
- Check for related codes (crank/cam sensor circuits, cam/crank correlation)
- Visually inspect sensor, wiring harness, connectors and reluctor/tone wheel for damage, corrosion or debris
- Compare live high-resolution timing signal on scan tool if available
- Probe sensor output with an oscilloscope to view pulse count, amplitude and noise
- Measure sensor supply/reference voltage and ground continuity
Signal parameters
- Expected pulse count per engine revolution (varies by design; e.g., 60-2, 36-1 patterns — check vehicle spec)
- Hall-effect: square pulses ~0–5V, clean transitions; VR (inductive): AC waveform amplitude depends on speed (tens to hundreds mV to several volts)
- Pulse width and spacing uniformity across revolutions — extra pulses indicate jitter/noise
- Rise/fall time should be sharp for Hall sensors; excessive ringing or multiple transitions indicates fault
- Signal frequency proportional to engine speed; unexpected additional high-frequency pulses indicate interference or shorting
Diagnostic algorithm
- Confirm P0371 and note freeze frame (engine speed, temp, condition when code set).
- Inspect sensor A, reluctor/tone wheel and surrounding area for physical damage, metal debris, or aftermarket changes. Repair as needed.
- Visually inspect and wiggle wiring harness and connector while monitoring live data for intermittent changes. Repair chafed wires or corroded connectors.
- Measure sensor reference voltage and ground; verify proper supply to sensor with multimeter. Repair supply/ground faults.
- Use an oscilloscope at the sensor connector to capture raw waveform while cranking/idle. Look for extra pulses, bouncing, noise, or unexpected voltage spikes.
- If oscilloscope shows multiple pulses, remove sensor and re-scan while rotating reluctor manually (where safe/possible) to check for tone wheel defects or debris.
- Check air gap and sensor alignment to spec; replace sensor or correct gap if out of tolerance.
- If wiring and sensor appear good but pulses remain, isolate sensor circuit from PCM and repeat scope check to determine if PCM is source. Consider swapping known-good PCM or reprogramming if manufacturer procedures indicate.
- After repairs, clear codes and road test across the rpm range to confirm code does not return and timing behavior is normal.
Likely causes
- Sensor producing multiple transitions due to internal failure or contamination
- Wiring short to battery or ignition leading to extra pulses
- Reluctor wheel teeth damaged or additional metallic debris passing sensor
- Poor sensor air gap causing jittery or multiple transitions
- Connector/pin intermittent contact producing spurious pulses
Fault status
Status
PCM detected an excessive number of timing reference pulses from high-resolution sensor A (too many pulses), indicating spurious/extra signals affecting timing calculation.
Repair difficulty: Medium
Diagnostic time: 1.0-3.0 Hours
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