HELP, PLEASE, Check engine light P0333

[Golfingnut300]

Took my 2012 RT out for a ride today after changing my battery a few weeks ago and got the dreaded check engine. Found code P0333. After looking up all the codes I don’t see this code on the list. False code? Also did a search and found nothing. Checked to make sure the ground side of the battery was tight and it was tight with a good connection. Haven’t checked the positive side yet but I am sure it is also tight. Any help would be appreciated!!

 

[SpyderJerry]

Normaly, P0333 is the knock sensor under automotive codes. P033A is the spyder knock sensor. Did you by chance get some bad fuel. May want to disconect the battery again to see if code clears.

 

[CopperSpyder]

If its not putting you into limp mode just shut it down take the key out for a while and try and restart it and see if you still get the code. I don't see the P0333 code, P0327, P0328 and P032A are your knock sensor codes. Spyders will just talk some time for no reason so we do listen and then move on. I hope that is the case here.

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Took my 2012 RT out for a ride today after changing my battery a few weeks ago and got the dreaded check engine. Found code P0333. After looking up all the codes I don’t see this code on the list. False code? Also did a search and found nothing. Checked to make sure the ground side of the battery was tight and it was tight with a good connection. Haven’t checked the positive side yet but I am sure it is also tight. Any help would be appreciated!!

So, My shop manual for 2011 / 2012 - shows P0333. It is a failure of the positive line signal to / from the rear cylinder knock sensor. Now, this isn't due to a detection of detonation, but rather loss of the positive line signal between the sensor and the ECM. Both the positive and negative lines to the sensor come from the ECM. They don't have a separate fuse just for them. But of course, there is a harness connector between the sensor and the ECM. The sensor is located on the left hand side of your rear cylinder. A little black plastic thing with a bolt through the center. It might be hidden by a heat shield. Follow its harness back towards the front and you'll find the connector. Inspect the harness run for damage, unplug and clean the connector with electrical contact cleaner and plug it back in. And of course, check that the sensor is not loose or damaged.

While you have the connector unplugged you can do a resistance check of the sensor. It should be in the neighborhood of 5meg ohms. Pretty high. This is probably not related to the battery change at all.

 

[Golfingnut300]

Doug, thanks for the info, not sure I can find what you are talking about but I had the left side panels off and had unplugged a few connectors when changing my battery. I think i will retrace the battery install and hopefully something wasn’t plugged in all the way. Also I did have 2 year old gas in the tank. I used all the gas today and made sure I ran it with new fuel but the code still comes back. Don’t notice any sluggish behavior and seems to be running fine. Do you know if this code is damaging anything? Thanks again!!

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

If you're interested, go to the eBay store for Green Manuals. Look for the 2012 RT manual. It's a full repair manual on CD for 20 bucks.

Big picture, a knock sensor is essentially a microphone, "listening" for the sound of detonation. It's a piezoelectric crystal converting the sound / vibration waves to an electrical signal, and sending that signal to the ECM on two signal lines, + and -. When the ECM detects that detonation is occurring, it retards the ignition timing until it stops. When the ECM does this, it is invisible to the operator. There are no lights or codes, you just sacrifice some horsepower. It's how an engine, which is recommended for high octane fuel, is protected from detonation if using low octane fuel.

This code is telling us that the + line has been lost. It's not hurting anything right now, but the sensor is probably inoperable. If there isn't a problem with the harness, then it's a possibility that the sensor failed internally. The sensor is only about 25 bucks.

 

[CopperSpyder]

Thanks for the correction Snowbelt, I just looked on my quick list didn't see it. That's what I get for not loading the manual. And at the end you always have to love oh by the way my gas was two years old. :roflblack: