Crankshaft Sensor

[madasahatter]

Big problem coming home 2 am no lights on dash, no lights on car apart from rear very dim. Battery recently replaced, showing all ok. Plugged scanner in took an age to show anything.

When it did said crank sensor. I will try again when light. Question is where is it located. Car will not start since turned off. And no lights when turned on?

[m4rkw]

No lights with the key in position 2 I think means it's not just a crank sensor. Check the fuses?

[madasahatter]

Yes i will do that first strange car fired straight up at work. Got about 50 yards then nothing. Also power steering had gone. I never turned car off coming 

home in case it did not fire up.

[alankehoe]

Sounds like the alternator could have failed ? was the Battery light showing on the dash when you broke down ? 

A bad crankshaft sensor would be more likely to make the engine run rough than not run at all.

[m4rkw]

Is the steering hydraulic or electric on those?

[Beamish]

I agree with Alan. I would be inclined to suspect a failed alternator. Have you checked the Battery voltage since you turned the car off?

[alankehoe]

2 minutes ago, m4rkw said:

Is the steering hydraulic or electric on those?

electric

[m4rkw]

1 minute ago, alankehoe said:

electric

Yeah alternator makes sense then.

[madasahatter]

Plugged scanner back in lights on dash did sweep then went out.

Code Module $07e8 and 9 . Po 355/ $07e8 Crankshft position sensor a circuit. When engine did sweep brake pedal is rock hard like when the Battery went.

[alankehoe]

Best thing to do is check the voltage of the Battery when the engine is running if its not around 14v then I would be almost certain your alternator has failed thus your Battery is being depleted.

I had a failed alternator on my is250 and when it happened everything on the car shutdown [Steering, Brakes, Engine Misfiring] so I am not sure you can trust the diagnostic error code at this point.

[madasahatter]

engine does not start at all does not even try.

[alankehoe]

whats the voltage of the Battery now ? the car wont start if it has already been depleted !

[madasahatter]

I have a spare Battery which is on the car now. Everything is the same.

[madasahatter]

Right put original Battery back on alarm was going awol. Car started no lights on the dash put all lights and heater on and Battery light lit up. So seems like alternator has gone.

[james250]

I was thinking alternator as soon as I read the description. As the alternator fails the only power all the ECU's are getting is whatever the Battery has left to give. Slowly one by one ECU will start reporting issues. Heavy power items like power steering etc will not work. Seems like in America it's a very common issue with the IS and many have changed their alternators. But people do say that there are usually signs before it fails like Battery light illuminating. Did you not have any signs before hand? It's rather scary to think of all this failing on the motorway or on dark country road. 

Wondering if it's worth replacing the alternator as a preventative precaution?

Has anyone else had their alternators fail like this?

[james250]

 @madasahatter @alankehoe what mileages are your cars at? noticed both are 2008