B3496 Mercury Zephyr Diagnostic Trouble Code

B3496 Mercury Zephyr code definition:
B3496 is a kind of OBD-II Diagnostic B-Body Diagnostic Trouble Code for Mercury Zephyr.

B3496 Mercury Zephyr is defined as Camshaft Position Sensor A Circuit Low. This means the CMP (camshaft position) sensor circuit on engine bank 1 sends an irregular reading. Any code that causes the vehicle's engine to die while running should be fixed as soon as possible, as it can be dangerous for both the vehicle and the passengers of the vehicle.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a B3496 Mercury Zephyr diagnostic trouble code may include:

The light may stay on or light intermittently as the DPF regenerates. The engine will be sluggish on acceleration.
Faulty PCM
If the DPF is not cleared the ECU will revert to the "Limp Home Mode" until the situation is corrected
Diminished fuel efficiency

Possible Causes :

Rough running engine due to misfiring plugs. Many engines have misfire codes to indicate the cylinder effected, such as P0307 for number 7.
Rarely - faulty Powertrain Control Module (PCM-programming required after replacement)
An air leak forward of the DPF will change the sensor readings resulting in the code

Common Misdiagnoses

Control Module Throttle Actuator Position Performance Problem
Air Conditioning (A/C) Clutch Feedback Circuit High Voltage Problem
Cruise Vehicle Speed/Set Speed Difference Too High Problem
Kick-Down Switch Failed Short Problem
Park/Neutral Postion (PNP) Switch Circuit Engine Torque Signal Circuit Problem

Repair Processes :

Oxygen sensors signal the engine management computer the amount of oxygen present in the exhaust, which is used in determining and controlling the fuel ratio. With the valve disconnected, the red voltmeter lead should be attached to the IMRC valve power wire and the black voltmeter lead connected to ground. You might continue by connecting the scanner to the vehicle diagnostic connector and retrieving all stored codes and freeze frame data.

Process Tips

Diagnostic trouble code B3496 Mercury Zephyr is not difficult to diagnose and repair. Thus, it always pays to have a qualified technician to look after your vehicle should this error code arise.

Diagnosing this code requires the engine to be in good running shape, without unmetered air entering the engine. If other codes that relates to misfiring condition, lean running or air entering the engine is present, then you must first fix those error codes before B3496 Mercury Zephyr.

Fortunately, B3496 Mercury Zephyr is a fairly common OBD code, meaning that it applies to all makes and models of vehicles made after 1996.