P0342 / Cam position sensor

[Mario]

I'd like to know if there's a trend here to replace that sensor around 36kmiles? I find it weird that my dealer had the part in stock, since they NEVER got anything GM-DAT related on hand. Always 1-2days delay.

My car was showing the entermittent check engine light (code P0342), suffered from a rough idle and got poor fuel economy... yes worse than what we normally get .

The new sensor is a bit different, probably from a different OEM source... which I expect is a good sign.

For those who don't want to follow the service manual and save some time, this blog is a great "How-To". Carfix: 2004 Suzuki Forenza check engine light code P0342

Good thing is the part is not that pricey... paid 56$CAN for it at the dealer.

[ewetho]

Not a consistent problem like they all go bad but not as uncommon as you'd like. See them from time to time.

[croikies]

I'm trying to figure out if we are getting hosed. We had the same cam shaft positioning code and took the vehicle into the dealer.

They found that the timing belt wasn't adjusted when it was replaced with the water pump recall. After putting the vehicle back together they are still getting the cam shaft positioning code and want to charge us the labor to take the vehicle back apart and replaced the sensor.

I don't have a problem paying for the sensor and some portion of the labor, but 2 hours of labor to fix the code that was already having an issue.

They are stating that there was no way to test the sensor while the vehicle was disassembled. That seemed kind of odd to me.

[Mario]

In my case, GM Canada weren't nice enough to offer the free water pump checkup. They choose to play it the hard way and force the client to either pay for the belt checkup (@110$CAN) before 30kmiles/2yrs, or risk paying for all the damages done to the engine if something happens. They mailed me a nice letter for this...

As for the sensor, I think a good tech should be able to replace it under an hour using the method I "linked". But its weird they didn't took care of it while the cover was still apart... The dealer offered me to replace the serpentine belt for the price of the part only once everything was apart during that inspection. Sure I was already the one paying for it.

Seems to me we're just seeing the same old Daewoo trend for these car to fail a low mileage CAM sensor.

[ewetho]

If you presented the code and they said it was one thing and now need to go back in to replace the sensor I think they are responsible for that in most cases. You paid for them to fix the problem already, start there.

[tedder]

Just found out I have the same problem only at 152,000 km.
Althou he daid the code was P0432...someone has their numbers mixed up.
He DID say it was cam position sensor thou. Mine has been intermittent for about 3 months.
Glad to hear the part isn't a damn small fortune like other parts for this car.
Crikey, brake pads are $72 !!! Unless I'm getting hosed ?

[tedder]

I stand corrected. Code that was stored was P0342. I find it interesting that such an obscure part was in stock at my dealer in NB Canada. They had 2 of them in fact. Price...$61.29..not bad for GM.
I've heard GM has a thing called "silent" recalls. In other words something that is most certainly to become faulty over time...thus the new part # I'm thinking...but rather than actually do a recall they just make sure they have parts on hand for all the Optra/Forenza owners that are due to head their way.
Off topic but I'm sure we've already had the recall for the head light wiring harness ? I got a letter anyways.
Great link and pics for replacement of the cam position sensor by the way. Will make the job alot easier

[Mario]

Originally Posted by tedder

Glad to hear the part isn't a damn small fortune like other parts for this car.
Crikey, brake pads are $72 !!! Unless I'm getting hosed ?

72$ is about what I would expect to pay for OEM pads... I thinks Discs are around 100$ each and will be needed at my 1st brake job on that car due to the rust. So a total of 275$ seems about right to me. Plus, since I do the job myself, I can afford to pay a bit more for good parts.

OEM part might not be the cheapest, but I've had cheap 30$ pads wearing grooves on my used discs in less than 10000km... plus they were squealing like hell. In the end, it costed me more (just in parts) to get that car safe on the road again.