P0330 Knock Sensor, 15 min. Hack Repair...
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: fl
P0330 Knock Sensor, 15 min. Hack Repair...
This is for the people that don't want to pay big money to replace a bad knock sensor. I got the dreaded P0330 code saying the #2 knock sensor circuit was bad. I was driving 46 miles each way to work and had to stop and reset the light before I could there because she went in limp mode and I would lose overdrive. I just had to remove all of the same stuff to replace my leaking valve covers just a couple of months ago. I did not want to do that again. The ecu is looking for a small voltage between a set range to decide if that is normal and won't throw a code as long as it sees that voltage for each sensor. So I decided that since there are 2 sensors, and only one is bad right now, I will just feed both sensors from the good #1 bank sensor and the ecu will be happy. So i cut the wire feeding the #2 sensor and spliced it into the #1 sensor at the ECU. Anyway, it took me 15 mins and NO money to fix it. She drives as good as ever and no more CHECK ENGINE LITE. Im not telling anyone to do it, im just telling you what i did so you do what you will or won't. 
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Don't Hate!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 289
Likes: 28
From: fl
Just remove the 4 screws for your glovebox and the ECU is on the right side. If you are having this issue, lmk and I will give you the details.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: fl
Ok so to save time I will give you the easy details instead of answering PM's. My car is a 99/00 model so here is the dilly-o... Where my thumb is there is a black and white wire right beside each other. The white wire is more of a clear color than a white color. Anyway, the black wire is to the sensor # 2 and the white is for #1. For my example, my #2 sensor is bad, So i cut the wire and connected the part of the wire going to the ECU to the #1 sensor right next to it. This way the computer just uses the input from the first sensor and all is well. It so simple it makes me wanna slap myself. lol... 
......... She runs beautiful and.....oh yea, I do love my Lexus!
......... She runs beautiful and.....oh yea, I do love my Lexus!
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Driver School Candidate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: TX
Ok so to save time I will give you the easy details instead of answering PM's. My car is a 99/00 model so here is the dilly-o... Where my thumb is there is a black and white wire right beside each other. The white wire is more of a clear color than a white color. Anyway, the black wire is to the sensor # 2 and the white is for #1. For my example, my #2 sensor is bad, So i cut the wire and connected the part of the wire going to the ECU to the #1 sensor right next to it. This way the computer just uses the input from the first sensor and all is well. It so simple it makes me wanna slap myself. lol... ......... She runs beautiful and.....oh yea, I do love my Lexus!
......... She runs beautiful and.....oh yea, I do love my Lexus! Question so the splicer pretty much connects both clear and black cables coming from the sensors going in to the ecu? In other words, there are no cables disconnected or left out, both the clear and black cables are shorted together?
Last edited by epicazoi; Mar 19, 2013 at 08:59 PM.
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From: Ca.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 289
Likes: 28
From: fl
I believe what he was saying was the wire going to the # 2 sensor (the bad one)was cut and the end leading to the sensor would be left "hanging" (disconnected) and the remainder of the wire (going to the ECU) was piggybacked onto the # 1 wire so that the input to the ECU would fool the ECU into thinking BOTH sensors were good. (when in fact #2 was now cut out of the picture because it had decided to lay down on the job) Moral of the story: don't lay down on the job or you'll be cut out of the picture and someone else will be fooled into doing your job and theirs too!
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: TX
Reporting back.
So My RX was constantly throwing the infamous code P0330, this code started to go off every now and then but it got to a point of going off within a mile after resetting it with a code reader. Long story short I followed Bobster's hack, found out sensor 2 was at fault and the damn light has not come back at all, it has been 300 miles now with no code. Bobster thank you so much for your help in and out of the forum, you are a very valuable member of this forum.
So My RX was constantly throwing the infamous code P0330, this code started to go off every now and then but it got to a point of going off within a mile after resetting it with a code reader. Long story short I followed Bobster's hack, found out sensor 2 was at fault and the damn light has not come back at all, it has been 300 miles now with no code. Bobster thank you so much for your help in and out of the forum, you are a very valuable member of this forum.
Last edited by epicazoi; Mar 21, 2013 at 08:42 AM.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 44
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From: MN
I am in the same boat now. I just pull out the ecu connector and found the black and white/clear wire. want to double check my understanding---
cut the black wire into 2 parts, pill off the wrap of both black and white/clear wires so that we can connect the black wire part 1 w/ white/clear wire. just let black wire part 2 hang on there. Right?
UPDATE just finish this project this morning. it is quite easy. now, there is no CEL anymore. car runs just like normal.
Thanks for this great tip. it does save a lot of money and energy. but it also bothers me a little bit that what the knock sensor really does. if we fool the ECU about knock sensor's situation, what possible harm it may do to the engineer? any further discussion would be much helpful.
cut the black wire into 2 parts, pill off the wrap of both black and white/clear wires so that we can connect the black wire part 1 w/ white/clear wire. just let black wire part 2 hang on there. Right?
UPDATE just finish this project this morning. it is quite easy. now, there is no CEL anymore. car runs just like normal.
Thanks for this great tip. it does save a lot of money and energy. but it also bothers me a little bit that what the knock sensor really does. if we fool the ECU about knock sensor's situation, what possible harm it may do to the engineer? any further discussion would be much helpful.
Last edited by ididit; May 5, 2013 at 09:01 AM.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 1
From: Ct
Anyone happen to know the wiring for a 96? I got all the way to the ecu, i found a few clear wires but no black ones next to it. Would be sketchy to just pick. I went through the manual and it doesn't seem to show what color is for the knock sensor.
Last edited by jmar1228; Jun 14, 2013 at 06:18 AM.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 15
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From: GA
I tried this fix when I had a P0330 code and now I dont have the P0330 code but now I have a P0325. what happened, checked again now I have both codes
Last edited by bigge31566; Aug 4, 2013 at 06:19 PM.