Service engine soon light of 1996 Dodge Neon

Today, I noticed a Service Engine Soon light just after my car stopped
running for several minutes. I thought that it was "low oil" or dirty
air filter.
I needed an oil change so I got one. Air filter was a little dirty so
I didn't replace it. After the oil change, the light came back on and
was on for a few minutes.
I stopped the car for about 5 lines and restarted it and then I
noticed the light was not on. So, I proceeded to Auto Zone to get a
free check engine test.
The result- Number Crossed - PO340
The Auto Zone print out states"
The PCM has determined that a malfunction exists in the electrical
circuit for the camshaft position sensor "A". (Bank 1 or single
sensor) (bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while Bank 2
identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank).
The car has about 91,000 miles.
How good is the ODB II auto scanner?
If the light stays off, when will the Service Engine soon light
return?
If I take this car to get fixed, about much will it cost to get
fixed?
Is there something else, I should test?

thanks

"David Sherman" > wrote in message
...
> Today, I noticed a Service Engine Soon light just after my car stopped
> running for several minutes. I thought that it was "low oil" or dirty
> air filter.
> I needed an oil change so I got one. Air filter was a little dirty so
> I didn't replace it. After the oil change, the light came back on and
> was on for a few minutes.
> I stopped the car for about 5 lines and restarted it and then I
> noticed the light was not on. So, I proceeded to Auto Zone to get a
> free check engine test.
> The result- Number Crossed - PO340
> The Auto Zone print out states"
> The PCM has determined that a malfunction exists in the electrical
> circuit for the camshaft position sensor "A". (Bank 1 or single
> sensor) (bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while Bank 2
> identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank).
> The car has about 91,000 miles.
> How good is the ODB II auto scanner?
> If the light stays off, when will the Service Engine soon light
> return?
> If I take this car to get fixed, about much will it cost to get
> fixed?
> Is there something else, I should test?
>
> thanks

You may want to check the CPS electrical connection, clean it with a good
connection cleaner (Radio Shack), then put some dielectric grease in the
female side of the plug and reconnect. If it continues you may need to
replace the CPS but most of the tie it is the connector that is dirty.

--
Coasty
Semper Paratus
(Always Ready)

unless of course the main wiring harness has started to melt on the bac of
the cylinder head

Coasty wrote:

> "David Sherman" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Today, I noticed a Service Engine Soon light just after my car stopped
> > running for several minutes. I thought that it was "low oil" or dirty
> > air filter.
> > I needed an oil change so I got one. Air filter was a little dirty so
> > I didn't replace it. After the oil change, the light came back on and
> > was on for a few minutes.
> > I stopped the car for about 5 lines and restarted it and then I
> > noticed the light was not on. So, I proceeded to Auto Zone to get a
> > free check engine test.
> > The result- Number Crossed - PO340
> > The Auto Zone print out states"
> > The PCM has determined that a malfunction exists in the electrical
> > circuit for the camshaft position sensor "A". (Bank 1 or single
> > sensor) (bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while Bank 2
> > identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank).
> > The car has about 91,000 miles.
> > How good is the ODB II auto scanner?
> > If the light stays off, when will the Service Engine soon light
> > return?
> > If I take this car to get fixed, about much will it cost to get
> > fixed?
> > Is there something else, I should test?
> >
> > thanks
>
> You may want to check the CPS electrical connection, clean it with a good
> connection cleaner (Radio Shack), then put some dielectric grease in the
> female side of the plug and reconnect. If it continues you may need to
> replace the CPS but most of the tie it is the connector that is dirty.
>
> --
> Coasty
> Semper Paratus
> (Always Ready)

Update:

Also the Service Engine light came back up.
I need to get the car fixed as tonight the car stopped. At first, the
tach dropped to 0 and then bounced up and down a few times until it
settled on 0. At the same time, the battery light and oil light on the
dashboard come on a couple of times also.

I am concerned about the oil light, battery light coming on and the
tach dropping to 0. The car restarted once I turned off the car.

Any other suggestions?

thanks

On Sun, 12 Jun 2005 18:09:29 -0400, "Coasty" >
wrote:

>
>"David Sherman" > wrote in message
.. .
>> Today, I noticed a Service Engine Soon light just after my car stopped
>> running for several minutes. I thought that it was "low oil" or dirty
>> air filter.
>> I needed an oil change so I got one. Air filter was a little dirty so
>> I didn't replace it. After the oil change, the light came back on and
>> was on for a few minutes.
>> I stopped the car for about 5 lines and restarted it and then I
>> noticed the light was not on. So, I proceeded to Auto Zone to get a
>> free check engine test.
>> The result- Number Crossed - PO340
>> The Auto Zone print out states"
>> The PCM has determined that a malfunction exists in the electrical
>> circuit for the camshaft position sensor "A". (Bank 1 or single
>> sensor) (bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while Bank 2
>> identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank).
>> The car has about 91,000 miles.
>> How good is the ODB II auto scanner?
>> If the light stays off, when will the Service Engine soon light
>> return?
>> If I take this car to get fixed, about much will it cost to get
>> fixed?
>> Is there something else, I should test?
>>
>> thanks
>
>You may want to check the CPS electrical connection, clean it with a good
>connection cleaner (Radio Shack), then put some dielectric grease in the
>female side of the plug and reconnect. If it continues you may need to
>replace the CPS but most of the tie it is the connector that is dirty.

What does this cost to replace?

thanks

On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 20:16:56 -0400, tim bur > wrote:

>unless of course the main wiring harness has started to melt on the bac of
>the cylinder head
>
>Coasty wrote:
>
>> "David Sherman" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > Today, I noticed a Service Engine Soon light just after my car stopped
>> > running for several minutes. I thought that it was "low oil" or dirty
>> > air filter.
>> > I needed an oil change so I got one. Air filter was a little dirty so
>> > I didn't replace it. After the oil change, the light came back on and
>> > was on for a few minutes.
>> > I stopped the car for about 5 lines and restarted it and then I
>> > noticed the light was not on. So, I proceeded to Auto Zone to get a
>> > free check engine test.
>> > The result- Number Crossed - PO340
>> > The Auto Zone print out states"
>> > The PCM has determined that a malfunction exists in the electrical
>> > circuit for the camshaft position sensor "A". (Bank 1 or single
>> > sensor) (bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while Bank 2
>> > identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank).
>> > The car has about 91,000 miles.
>> > How good is the ODB II auto scanner?
>> > If the light stays off, when will the Service Engine soon light
>> > return?
>> > If I take this car to get fixed, about much will it cost to get
>> > fixed?
>> > Is there something else, I should test?
>> >
>> > thanks
>>
>> You may want to check the CPS electrical connection, clean it with a good
>> connection cleaner (Radio Shack), then put some dielectric grease in the
>> female side of the plug and reconnect. If it continues you may need to
>> replace the CPS but most of the tie it is the connector that is dirty.
>>
>> --
>> Coasty
>> Semper Paratus
>> (Always Ready)

i'm not sure most just find the melted spot and cut chop resolder

David Sherman wrote:

> What does this cost to replace?
>
> thanks
>
> On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 20:16:56 -0400, tim bur > wrote:
>
> >unless of course the main wiring harness has started to melt on the bac of
> >the cylinder head
> >
> >Coasty wrote:
> >
> >> "David Sherman" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > Today, I noticed a Service Engine Soon light just after my car stopped
> >> > running for several minutes. I thought that it was "low oil" or dirty
> >> > air filter.
> >> > I needed an oil change so I got one. Air filter was a little dirty so
> >> > I didn't replace it. After the oil change, the light came back on and
> >> > was on for a few minutes.
> >> > I stopped the car for about 5 lines and restarted it and then I
> >> > noticed the light was not on. So, I proceeded to Auto Zone to get a
> >> > free check engine test.
> >> > The result- Number Crossed - PO340
> >> > The Auto Zone print out states"
> >> > The PCM has determined that a malfunction exists in the electrical
> >> > circuit for the camshaft position sensor "A". (Bank 1 or single
> >> > sensor) (bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while Bank 2
> >> > identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank).
> >> > The car has about 91,000 miles.
> >> > How good is the ODB II auto scanner?
> >> > If the light stays off, when will the Service Engine soon light
> >> > return?
> >> > If I take this car to get fixed, about much will it cost to get
> >> > fixed?
> >> > Is there something else, I should test?
> >> >
> >> > thanks
> >>
> >> You may want to check the CPS electrical connection, clean it with a good
> >> connection cleaner (Radio Shack), then put some dielectric grease in the
> >> female side of the plug and reconnect. If it continues you may need to
> >> replace the CPS but most of the tie it is the connector that is dirty.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Coasty
> >> Semper Paratus
> >> (Always Ready)