How to Reset Throttle Position Sensor Toyota 2023
Smooth idling and excellent acceleration are at the mercy of the state of your car’s throttle position sensor. As a result, you may struggle with poor idling and acceleration issues when the component starts to malfunction.
Of course, a faulty throttle position sensor (TPS) will eventually alter your Toyota’s fuel economy and gradually degenerate into severe engine problems.
That’s why understanding how to reset the throttle position sensor in a Toyota is sacrosanct.
How Does the Throttle Position Sensor Work?
The TPS – throttle position sensor is an integral part of a car’s fuel management system. The component links your car’s engine and the gas pedal.
When you engage the gas pedal and apply some pressure, the throttle position sensor will converter that action to valve movement, which further controls the quantity of air that flows into the car’s engine intake manifold to proper functioning.
The TPS is usually found on the butterfly shaft/spindle, where it can successfully monitor the throttle’s position. The operations of regular potentiometric TPS were relatively basic as they didn’t include any complexity.
As the days unfolded, vehicle manufacturers built the modern non-contact type of throttle position sensors, which are found in most modern vehicles. The new TPS was built with inductive sensors, hall effect sensors, magnetoresistive technologies, etc.
The advantages of the non-contact TPS over the old potentiometric TPS are improved fuel economy and relatively superior performance. However, when the throttle position sensor starts malfunctioning, the impacts from the non-contact TPS are more severe than the potentiometric TPS.
Some common symptoms you may experience when you have a failing throttle position sensor include the Check Engine light illumination, rough idling or stalling, fluctuating rev gauge, bad gas mileage, etc. Resetting the TPS will be necessary once you start experiencing these challenges.
How to Reset Throttle Position Sensor in a Toyota
If your Toyota’s throttle position sensor is characterized by one or more of the symptoms itemized above, ensure to contact a professional auto technician to diagnose the actual cause of the problem.
Once you identify that the issues are traced to a failing throttle position sensor, ensure to reset the component before opting for a replacement.
However, replacing the component is usually the remedy for the non-contact TPS. The recommendations below can help you reset your Toyota’s throttle position sensor.
Option 1:
- Park the car in a safe place.
- Turn off the ignition completely.
- Allow the car for a few seconds.
- Turn “ON” the car’s ignition (do not crank the engine).
- Allow the ignition in that position for a few seconds. Then, turn it off.
- Turn the car key to the “ON” position again (now crank the engine).
- Engage the parking brake by pulling it.
- Shift the gear lever to “Drive – D.”
- Allow the car to idle for 5 to 10 minutes without accelerating.
Option 2:
- Insert the vehicle’s key and turn “ON” the ignition (do not crank the engine).
- Depress the accelerator pedal slowly for 3 seconds and release it slowly.
- Repeat the step above up to 3 times (Depress and release the pedal slowly).
- Turn the ignition to the “Off” position and remove the key.
- Allow the car for a few minutes.
Option 3:
- Turn off the car’s engine completely and remove the key.
- Open the hood and locate the battery.
- Remove the cable attached to the battery’s negative terminal.
- Allow the system to exhaust the stored electricity after removing the cable.
- Reattach the cable to the negative terminal on the battery.
FAQs
How do I reset my throttle position sensor?
The throttle position sensor reset is necessary when rectifying an issue with your old throttle position sensor or after replacing a new one. The process of resetting the throttle position sensor simply requires removing your car’s negative battery terminal cable for at least 5 minutes. Also, you can reset the sensor by removing the Engine Control Module fuse. These components can completely alter the throttle position sensor and fix any issue with its operation.
Do you have to reset the computer after replacing the throttle position sensor?
Does a throttle body need to be calibrated?
Other challenges may include stalling or too slow idling, poor acceleration with low speed, etc.
How do I recalibrate my accelerator pedal position sensor?
Then, carefully depress the accelerator pedal slowly until it is fully depressed. Ensure to do this from when the car idles down to full throttle. Usually, performing this exercise up to three times should help recalibrate the accelerator pedal position sensor.
How do I reset my Toyota ECU?
Final thoughts
Handling a throttle position sensor issue can be relatively easy if you know what to do. This can be pretty straightforward for old DIYers who fix their stuff regularly.
However, if your Toyota’s throttle position sensor is malfunctioning, ensure to perform the task on at least one of the three options outlined above.
In any case, kindly stick to the process that you understand the most. Meanwhile, safety must be your watchword when fixing any issue in your car.
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