April 15, 2012 | BMW E36 Blog

15th April 2012

BMW E36 Sensors Explained

Hi Guys,

I know this is one of the most confusing subjects about the BMW E36 cars. Too many sensors with complicated names. Hopefully, this list will help you figure out what the most common sensors in your cars are and what they actually do. Have fun O_o :-

Symbol	Name	Job	Picture
CPS	Crank Position Sensor	Controls the timing of firing for the spark plugs.
CMP	Camshaft Position Sensor	Controls the timing of injecting fuel.
MAF	Mass Air flow Sensor	Reads the volume of air entering the engine intake.
ICV	Idle Control Value	By controlling how much air is allowed to enter through the throttle plate, it controls the idle of the engine. In many cases where the BMW E36 is not idling perfectly, the Idle control valve is the reason behind this problem. Read about cleaning the ICV.
IAT	Air Intake Temp Sensor	Measures incoming air temperature. If the air is cold (more dense), the engine will need more fuel.
O2	Oxygen Sensor (Precat, Postcat)	Monitors the gas thatâ€™s coming out of exhaust and provides readings to the DME to help it mix air+fuel better.
CTS	Coolant Temp Sensor	Measures temperature of the coolant.
TPS	Throttle Position Sensor	Measures changes in the throttle position.