TPS Sensor problem

[leelandk]

2004 Aveo here with 130,000 miles. About 4 months ago my car started bucking while i was driving at low rpms. It progressively got worse, so I hit up google and found this site. I found a thread that suggested cleaning out the throttle body (soft bristled toothbrush&tb cleaner). My car stopped bucking. About a few weeks ago it returned, got worse, and threw a cel P0122 (tps sensor voltage low input). I cleaned out the tb like before, but it didn't help. I even removed my thottle body and cleaned it up but it didn't help at all. I drove my car with the tps sensor unplugged and it drives fine, plug it in, it bucks horribly. Unplug it fine again, plug it back in, bucks.

I replaced the tps sensor, and it didn't seem to help anything. I have a feeling there is some sort of calibration process I didn't follow. I'd appreciate any feedback.

[petrified.rabbit]

there is a procedure here somewhere for doing just that.. i think its even in this section. i will try looking..

[leelandk]

Kinda figured it would need to be calibrated. Tried searching and couldn't find anything.

[petrified.rabbit]

i found one for setting idle, not for the tps range..

someone that works at a dealer can look it up and post if there is one.

[leelandk]

Problem wasn't the TPS afterall. It had to do with my short ram intake that I have had on my car for 7 years. The intake tube runs over an a/c line and a plug that goes into that line (don't know what its called, but the harness y's off from the iat harness.) For years my intake had been rubbing on that plug till it exposed all three of the wires. I guess it was creating a short which also explains why my a/c compressor would constantly kick on and off.

I still don't know why it was throwing the p0122 cel tho. And on my drive by cable 04, the tps doesn't need to be calibrated. Its just a bolt on replacement.

[petrified.rabbit]

thats interesting. the plug is the pressure switch, makes sure there is enough r134 to not burn up the compressor.. maybe it was providing a short to ground? to trip the code? good to hear it is fixed though.

[leelandk]

It was annoying because everytime I would take off my intake to get to my throttle body to clean it or what not, I thought I fixed the problem because it would take a few days for the intake to settle back down on top of the plug. I ended up creating a support for the intake tube, insulating the pressure switch wires, and carefully pushing the line down a 1/4 inch. Plenty of clearance now and still now more problems.

[RoRo]

My 2010 Aveo 5 did something similar to this yesterday. I only have a custom exhaust on it. But when I started it up and started driving yesterday, it started bucking at really low rpms. I put it in neutral and revved it up, then put it in first and kept it above 2000 rpms the rest of the way home. No CELs came on or anything. I'm wondering if there is a recall for this issue or not. Mine only has 4200 miles on it.

[petrified.rabbit]

a few people (like 2) have reported a coil pack failure.. when they pulled the coil pack it was burned looking on one of the posts, just as many have had bad o2 sensors (including me) which can cause the same issue.

no recalls i have heard about.

[RoRo]

I'm going to let it go for now. I drove it ~ 60 miles today running errands and didn't have any issues. I know the dealership is going to try to claim modifying my exhaust has something to do with it, and yes I know all about the Magnusson Act, but it's still a PITA. That's to be expected with modifying cars though.