What Are the Common Faults of the Throttle Position Sensor?
2 Answers
Here are the common faults of the throttle position sensor: 1. Idle switch short circuit or open circuit. 2. Improper installation or adjustment of the throttle position sensor, causing the idle switch not to close when the throttle is fully closed, or the idle switch remains closed when the throttle is partially open. 3. Poor contact of the sliding contact of the linear variable resistor, resulting in intermittent signal interruption from the throttle position sensor during the throttle's movement from fully closed to fully open. Below is some related information about the throttle position sensor: 1. The throttle position sensor is also known as the throttle opening sensor or throttle switch. Its main function is to detect whether the engine is in idle condition, under load, accelerating, or decelerating. 2. When the throttle position sensor malfunctions, it can lead to abnormal engine idle operation (such as excessively high or low idle speed, unstable idle, or easy stalling during idle) or abnormal engine acceleration (such as engine shaking during acceleration, delayed acceleration response, etc.). Sometimes, it may also cause intermittent engine shaking during operation.
The throttle position sensor is a critical component for detecting throttle opening. Common failures include internal wear causing signal drift, short circuits or open circuits in wiring leading to inaccurate data, and loose electrical connections resulting in unstable output voltage. I've encountered many cases where prolonged use causes sensor contacts to deteriorate, resulting in sluggish acceleration and severe engine shaking at idle. Sometimes, rusted wire connectors causing poor contact can trigger the same issues. These faults must be addressed promptly—otherwise, not only will fuel consumption increase, but the engine may also stall, severely compromising driving safety. Based on experience, using diagnostic tools to check error codes can quickly pinpoint the problem, and replacing it with a high-quality sensor resolves it. Regular inspection of wiring and component cleaning significantly reduces trouble, as minor faults left unattended may escalate into costly major repairs.