There are several other symptoms indicative of a knock sensor problem. The vehicle will often shake or vibrate and misfire when the engine is started. The engine may emit strong exhaust and burning smells due to the detonation in the cylinders.

Do knock sensors detect misfire?

Misfire Detection

With most engines, the crankshaft position and knock sensors work together to detect a misfire, detonation or pre-ignition.

What happens if the knock sensor is bad?

A bad knock sensor may also not let the engine accelerate properly while driving on the highway, and cause the vehicle to lose fuel mileage. ... Once the computer realizes the knock sensor is not working properly, your vehicle will most likely lose power.