P0323: Ignition/Distributor Engine Speed Input Circuit Intermittent
Do not keep driving
Have this diagnosed promptly. If the engine cuts out when hot and restarts after standing, say so — that pattern is characteristic of a heat-sensitive ignition module and is otherwise very hard to catch.
What this code means
The engine speed signal is dropping out intermittently. This is among the more hazardous intermittent faults, because losing engine speed cuts both spark and fuel — the engine stops instantly rather than degrading. Heat-sensitive ignition modules are a classic cause: fine when cold, failing after twenty minutes, restarting once cooled.
Likely causes
Start here
- Faulty ignition module or pickup · moderate
- Intermittent wiring fault · moderate
- Corroded or loose connector · easy
Less common
- Worn distributor shaft or bearings · moderate
- Electrical interference from ignition leads · moderate
Symptoms
Components involved
Information, not instruction
CarGeek is a reference, not a service manual. Its pages are written from public sources and from what other people have found, never from a manufacturer's own service information, so they can be wrong or incomplete for your particular vehicle. Some of what they describe carries real risk: high voltage, fuel under pressure, stored energy, hot and moving parts.
Have anything you intend to act on checked by a trained person against the manufacturer's own procedure for your vehicle. Nothing here replaces that procedure.
Community experience
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What makes one worth reading:
- The car — make, model, year and engine. The same fault behaves differently on each.
- What you measured, not only what you replaced.
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