2003 TDI crank shaft position sensor

My 03 Jetta threw a code that came up as "injection pump A Rotor/ crankshaft position sensor malfunction". I did a little research and found some info that showed someone replacing it without removing the timing belt. Has anyone replaced it that way? Are they pretty simple to do?

Stop using a generic scan tool. Your ALH engine has no cam sensor. It does have a crank sensor. Your thread title and post are conflicting.

Well the price of a general code reader is what I chose to buy instead of going the spend route for something like VCDS. Excuse me for using the incorrect wording i'm not a professional mechanic.

Lots of folks here (most) are not professionals either. Take it to someone that is, if you can't or won't get the proper scan tool. VCDS is CHEAP. Take it from someone who IS a professional, that tool is peanuts compared to anything for any other brand that can do what it can do.

Our shop spends $10k+ every year to have brand specific scan tools. And you have to KEEP paying, because the updates and subscriptions expire.

I updated my VCDS cable that I bought over a decade ago this week for free. Still works perfect.

Generic scan tools, especially on German cars, will just send you on a wild goose chase. You'll end up throwing parts at it and never fix it. I get Volkswagens brought here all the time because of that. Covered with new parts, none of which had ANYTHING to do with the actual problem.

Oilhammer is dead on. A new Mac or Snapon scanner that will read foreign and domestic cars is upwards of $5k and you have a subscription to pay to keep it up dated with each module for manufacturer specific vehicles. Each subscription running what vcds costs.

$249-349 looks mighty partly compared to that, and free updates to boot. Especially when you compare that to a “VAG” eBay scanner that runs $125-175 and then does little of what you need to do. The eBay scanner winds up being the most expensive of the lot because it’s just money that was flushed.

I too just updated my VCDS, 18.2, a couple of days ago for free. I like the personal notifications for the updates. I'd be lost without it. Just recently my clock and trip OD would go blank, but the VCDS gave me a 01314 DTC in both the instrument and transmission groups. Turns out a recent reflash on my part was the culprit. Deleting the DTC's seems to have cured the problem. Who ever would have guessed.

JB05 said:

.... Who ever would have guessed.

Click to expand...

That is precisely the problem, LOTS of people end up guessing when they do not have the correct tool for the task.

GENERIC readers give GENERIC results. If one wants a GENERIC repair then by all means get a GENERIC reader. However, a GENERIC reader will NOT be able to probe VW-specific stuff, stuff that will be giving you BIG headaches (I'm talking about non-engine stuff here); engine stuff needs translating to VAR diesel codes; some can get close, but others will send you on a goose chase.

If you're planning on working on your car then PLAN properly and buy the right, essential, tools. Option is to throw parts at your car OR pay big money for a dealer to "work" on it (of course, an actual TDI guru is who you'd want doing repairs, but this will also cost, though not nearly has much as from a dealer).