The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

I was driving over Snoqualmie Pass in about 3000 ft with a camper in my pickup when I got a throttle system warning light started flashing as I lost power to the engine and I managed to limp to the off-ramp at The Summit and got down the off-ramp in the engine died on the side of the road. Got the truck towed home changed out the throttle body with a brand new Dodge OEM part and hooked up the battery got no check engine light got no throttle light got no codes to read but it won't hold an idle and it runs rough throttle works but not properly it smells like it's running rich I don'
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
It sounds like you are describing the symptoms of a failing throttle position sensor. The throttle position sensor monitors the throttle position of the throttle plate inside the throttle body in relation to your foot position on the gas pedal. Based upon the inputs from the sensor reading your foot’s position on the pedal, the ECU then makes the direction to supply more or less fuel to the motor. When this sensor is not working properly, this can cause intermittent responses when pressing the gas pedal.

There are trouble codes that are typically associated with the TPS. One code will set if the TPS voltage is too high when the computer expects to see it lower. Another code will set if the TPS voltage is lower than the computer expects to see. The TPS code for low voltage is the most common and will usually set if the TPS is out of adjustment or the sensor has failed. The first thing you should do when you get a TPS code is to check adjustment and signal output of the TP sensor before replacing it. Be sure to wiggle all connections while watching scan data/voltage readout to make sure the problem is not a loose or bad connection.

There are circumstances that could occur with a failing throttle position sensor that may not set a trouble code. One of the most common symptoms of a failing TPS would be a tip-in hesitation or stumble when you apply throttle to take off from a stop. This can be caused by a dead spot in the TP sensor’s internal circuitry, which usually causes the output voltage signal to not change (or it drops out) when the throttle opens. Unfortunately this type of failure is not easy to diagnose without the proper tool – a digital waveform scope. Most digital volt meters and scan tool displays will not respond fast enough to show this type of a glitch; but some may. If you do find this fault, then the obvious fix is to replace the TP sensor. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

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The lightning bolt on the dash means that there is a problem with the electronic throttle control system in your vehicle. Get a code reader and scan the engine for any logged codes. The light may be on for a glitch and the electronic throttle control system needs to be reset.
The easiest way to reset your throttle position sensor is to unhook the negative cable from your battery for up to five minutes or to remove the fuse for your engine control module.
You have a broken ignition switch. The ignition switch is an anti-theft component that turns your Ram`s electrical systems off and on. If it starts to fail, your electrical systems won`t turn on, which will lead to the car dying or sputtering while driving.
What does it mean when the throttle control light comes on? Simply enough, when your throttle control warning light comes on, there is something wrong with the throttle system in your car, in other words, the system in your car that converts inputs from the gas pedal into power, delivered from the engine.
A dirty throttle body can sometimes get stuck or damaged and when that is the case, the system might report a ETC fault by illuminating the red lightning bolt symbol on your Jeep dashboard.
A malfunctioning TPS will cause your engine to run poorly. Generally the engine will idle fine but will have difficulty accelerating. This is because the computer isn`t telling the engine to inject as much fuel as is required, while at the same time airflow is increasing.
A creaking sound when turning your steering wheel may be nothing more than a sign that your suspension system needs lubrication, but it may be a sign of something more serious, including tie rod damage, power steering rack damage, or a failing strut/shock.
A throttle position sensor (TPS) is a sensor used to monitor the air intake of an engine. The sensor is usually located on the butterfly spindle/shaft, so that it can directly monitor the position of the throttle.
It is not safe to drive with a bad throttle position sensor because the car may accelerate on its own without any input. This can cause an accident and serious injury to the driver, passengers or other motorists.
Accelerator Pedal Release Position Learning Procedure.

Make sure that the accelerator pedal is fully released. Turn ignition switch “ON” and wait at least 2 seconds. Turn ignition switch “OFF” wait at least 10 seconds. Turn ignition switch “ON” and wait at least 2 seconds.

In most cases, issues with the throttle controller are electric, either caused by a damaged sensor or electrical relay. However, there are times when the throttle controller is damaged and needs to be replaced.
This warning light will illuminate to indicate a problem with the Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system. If a problem is detected while the vehicle is running, the light will either stay on or flash depending on the nature of the problem.
The TPS is usually mounted on the throttle body (the housing that contains the throttle valve).
The ECM sends a 5 volt reference voltage to the TPS which passes through a variable resistor of the sensing circuit. This of course is connected to your throttle pedal. When the 5 volts passes through the resistor of the TPS, the voltage will vary based on the position of the throttle plate.
Among the two most important parts within the throttle body are the throttle body position sensor (TPS) and the throttle body temperature sensor. While they sound similar, they are indeed two individual parts that work together to efficiently mix fuel and air.
Cleaning fuel injectors is generally not a do-it-yourself project, but you can clean the throttle body on your vehicle with common tools and specialized spray cleaners. While throttle-body cleaning is good preventative car maintenance, it should also help engine drivability.
Speed sensors, the MAF, MPS and TPS; to name just a few of the essential monitors within your engine. All of these send signals to the control units, so as with faulty wiring, if one of these monitoring units is not functioning correctly, then it could send a message that causes the car to enter limp mode.
The MAF sensor regulates the air-fuel mixture in the engine and might become dirty. The dirt on the sensor sends wrong values to the control unit, and the limp mode is activated.
A recent redesign has kept the model strong. Yet, a few years into the rebuild, the Ram 2500 is starting to lose its shine with transmission problems. There have been notable issues with the Dodge Ram 2500 transmission shifting problems. This is being reported by many owners several years into their Ram purchase.
A properly maintained Ram 2500, with no serious rust or other wear, should last as long as its engine: 250,000 miles or more. Though some components of the heavy-duty Ram 2500 may last longer than on half-ton trucks, most of them will be more expensive to replace.
The most common reasons a Dodge Ram 1500 engine makes a ticking noise are low oil level or pressure, an issue with the ignition system, or an exhaust leak.
Since RAM is short-term data that only exists for programs that are currently running, restarting your device will clear your RAM. Some processes may be running in the background without your knowledge, and a restart is a sure way to tell those processes to stop and give your RAM a break.
The accelerator pedal sensor (APS) indicates the position of the accelerator on vehicle models with electronic throttle control. The APS is basically a throttle position sensor (TPS) with a pedal attached.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

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The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died
ANSWER : It sounds like you are describing the symptoms of a failing throttle position sensor. The throttle position sensor monitors the throttle position of the throttle plate inside the throttle body in relation to your foot position on the gas pedal. Based upon the inputs from the sensor reading your foot’s position on the pedal, the ECU then makes the direction to supply more or less fuel to the motor. When this sensor is not working properly, this can cause intermittent responses when pressing the gas pedal.

There are trouble codes that are typically associated with the TPS. One code will set if the TPS voltage is too high when the computer expects to see it lower. Another code will set if the TPS voltage is lower than the computer expects to see. The TPS code for low voltage is the most common and will usually set if the TPS is out of adjustment or the sensor has failed. The first thing you should do when you get a TPS code is to check adjustment and signal output of the TP sensor before replacing it. Be sure to wiggle all connections while watching scan data/voltage readout to make sure the problem is not a loose or bad connection.

There are circumstances that could occur with a failing throttle position sensor that may not set a trouble code. One of the most common symptoms of a failing TPS would be a tip-in hesitation or stumble when you apply throttle to take off from a stop. This can be caused by a dead spot in the TP sensor’s internal circuitry, which usually causes the output voltage signal to not change (or it drops out) when the throttle opens. Unfortunately this type of failure is not easy to diagnose without the proper tool – a digital waveform scope. Most digital volt meters and scan tool displays will not respond fast enough to show this type of a glitch; but some may. If you do find this fault, then the obvious fix is to replace the TP sensor. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

Read Full Q/A … : The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

2012 equinox reduced power light engine light and traction light came on. Lost a lot of power got home and all light except engine
ANSWER : Your car has what is called a "safe mode" that will be engaged by the computer when it detects that something critical has gone wrong related to any of the major components in your engine chassis or power train. This may be related to a number of things, most of which should have been registered in the computer when the check engine light came on. I recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your check engine light and diagnose any codes registered by your vehicle’s computer.

Read Full Q/A … : The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

Can front wheel drive car engine power rear wheel drive
ANSWER : Anything is possible with enough engineering. The changes you are looking at would take major structural changes and would definitely not be an easy job. You could possibly consult a manufacturing engineer to get more details on how this could actually be carried out and whether it would be feasible.

Read Full Q/A … : The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

Engine malfunction light, reduced engine power, engine powered down
ANSWER : Hi there. There are a lot of things that can cause this on your 2012 BMW M5. I usually start by scanning the computer for codes to see what comes up. If there are not codes then I load test the alternator and the battery to see if they are failing. Low voltage in the electrical system will cause this. If that is fine, then it is usually caused by a failing throttle body. I have seen a lot of these fail due to the motors in them hanging up. If the problem is only happening intermittently, this can make the issue hard to duplicate, but you can still have tests done on the car. If you are going to have this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to test the vehicle and diagnose the Engine Malfunction Light.

Read Full Q/A … : The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

Reduce engine power / check engine light is on
ANSWER : Hi there. Most of the time, reduced engine power is caused by a restriction of fuel, or the throttle body’s inability to efficiently mix air and fuel. This could be caused by a failing mass air flow sensor, EGR valve or other fuel system components. Since the check engine light is on, you should have a professional mechanic complete an inspection at your location to determine what codes are stored and which components require repair. This should resolve your issue.

Read Full Q/A … : The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

Hi, on my car the ‘Reduced Engine Power" light came on and i have no idea why. Already replaced the Throttle Body,but its still on
ANSWER : Hi there. To be honest, the swap of transmission seems awful "odd" and may have created different fault codes that could have triggered the limp mode in your Chevy Trailblazer. To guess what is causing this to occur without being there to complete a check engine light inspection could be an ignition or fuel system component or sensor failure.

Read Full Q/A … : The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

Traction light/reduced engine power and check engine light coming on
ANSWER : Hello. From what you describe, it would appear that your vehicle may be experiencing some sort of intermittent wiring or sensor issue. If the problem occurred again after driving over a bump, then it may be possible that a damaged or loose wire is shorting or having contact issues. A common issue that can cause stalling is a faulty crank position sensor or wiring. I would carefully examine the engine for any loose or damaged wires. If the Check Engine Light comes back on, I would recommend having the trouble codes scanned before resetting the computer.

Read Full Q/A … : The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

Battery light goes on when I start car then turns off, if I rev engine light comes back until rpms go down. Abs goes comes on/off
ANSWER : Batteries can die due to faults in the charging system so ideally a suspected "faulty" battery should be load tested before a decision is made to condemn it. The only exception to this rule is if the battery is already clearly "old" (greater than 5 years) but even then once you put a new battery in, as a replacement for a "dead" battery, you have to comprehensively check out the charging system. Diagnostic Trouble Code P0460 will result in disruption of the dashboard fuel gauge’s ability to accurately report your tank’s fuel levels. The fuel gauge readings may be erratic, or read somewhere off scale. Vehicles equipped with a low fuel warning light feature may also suffer from erratic low fuel warnings in the event of a code P0460. Unless the P0460 code has been reported alongside other trouble code, all of the vehicle’s essential systems should otherwise function normally. I would recommend that you request a check engine light diagnostic to first resolve the fault causing the P0460 code to set. The check gas cap light warning light could be due a faulty gas cap and/or small leaks in the EVAP system.

Read Full Q/A … : The throttle warning light in Cel came on while driving over a mountain pass loss of power and engine died

Eric smoalih

I am a certified master technician with the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), and I have been working as an auto mechanic for over 15 years. I am passionate about my work, and I take great pride in helping people keep their cars running smoothly.