I just got a code reader in the mail today and it's pretty sweet. My car (02 Z28) is fine and I like how I can look at a live data stream.

BUT... I plugged it into my friends car (95 Mustang V6 AT) and when I was looking at the live data I noticed that her throttle position was always at 15.3 percent when I wasn't touching the pedal. Mine was always at 0 percent (seems logical to me!)

So is her throttle position sensor malfunctioning?

Also... when I DO press on the gas the percentage goes up as it should.

Thanks

 

Well if the car is running, it HAS to be at some percentage or the car cannot run. I don't think the 95 V6s had an IAC valve so it was basically a screw that held the throttle blades at a certain spot. Your car reads 0% because there is an idle air control valve for when the car is idling.

Does the car run right? If so, it probably doesn't have anything wrong with it lol.

 

Her car has all kinds of problems!

MAF isn't working, Camshaft position sensor isn't working, bank 1 too rich, and her car doesn't downshift properly when she is slowing down. Her car is running but it's not running well.

I figured that the throttle position thing might have something to do with it. Maybe if the pcm thinks that the car is still throttling at 15 percent... it won't downshift?

 

Tell her that the factory was nice enough to circle the problem. (and point to the nearest Ford emblem)

Ok... in order for her car to get the correct readings on anything you need to fix what is in error first. The cam POS sensor will cause the too rich and the downshifting issues, TPS not reading right can cause downshifting issues, those AOD trannys are not known to be the best Ford ever made and that could be your downshifting issue as well. AODE are better but not alot. Fix the CPS first, tune up the car if it has not been done in a while (maybe with the O2 sensors as well Fords are picky about those things).

Ya know the more I type about what can help her Ford out the more I am thinking a Camaro would solve almost all of her issues. Yea tell her to ditch the Farmers Only Reason to Drink, Factory Ordered Road Debris and get a Camaro and live happily ever after...

Yea good idea

Masssey

 

I know! I told her to just buy my 3.8! I had 125000 miles and there were almost NO problems. Just a little bit of minor stuff. She's my sis in-law and their whole family are Ford addicts so it's kind of a conflicting thing when I role up in my Z28! But hey... I'm not the one with a broken car (knock on wood) so they know the truth

Thanks for all of that info! Hopefully when I replace all of that stuff I'll fix her emissions problems and her shifting problems! We are going to do it next Fri so I'll let you all know how it goes.

Oh... and the throttle position... 15 percent too high you think? Should I replace that since it's not that expensive?

 

15% is alot but it could be normal for this car or you may be getting erronious readings from the other sensors being out. and that is the car's way of compensating it. Not sure really this is one of those things that a tech manual would be able to tell you.

Massey

 

Alright thanks mang. I'll replace the MAF sensor and the camshaft sensor and see if that changes the throttle position.