Urgent: Throttle position sensor - safe to drive?

[tkerby]

Yeti Outdoor 2L 170hp diesel. Throttle position sensor has failed and is stalling at low speeds.  Service light on

Skoda assist saw the car and advised a short drive to a local dealer should be ok as the car still idled.  Unfortunately the two local dealers cant fit it in for a month.

 

Spoke to the dealer who sold me the car which is 60 miles away and they say not safe to drive and advised warranty recovery by Skoda Assist. Skoda assist however have other ideas and think I'm fine.

 

Not really comfortable driving it and not sure I'd be insured as the service manager doesn't think the car is roadworthy.

 

What should I do?

[eribaMotters]

Sounds familiar. EA189 Emmissions update thread,. Look here page 9 at my post on 8th August.

"

"Well, everything had been going so well, until 3rd August.

I had a very nice 3 hr trip towing the caravan from Southend-on-sea to near Cromer.  40mpg, running and pulling nicely.

Went to go about 4:30 pm and found the "exhaust inspection system" warning light. The book says:-

"If the indicator light  lights up, there is a fault in the exhaust inspection system.
The system allows the vehicle to run in emergency mode.
Seek assistance from a specialist garage immediately."

So I phoned up Robinsons in Norwich, explained out of warranty/fix done/could it be EGR valve. They had the car in at 11am next day and ran a diagnostic, so good on them for quick service.

Result was no exhaust fault found, but following fault codes showed up from a week earlier:-

• high speed Can Communication bus
• engine control module faulty
• throttle pedal position sensor.

Car ran fine from then on with no loss in power. 2 up 55mpg + on the maxidot, 38mpg when towing.

Any thoughts?"

 

As I type car still seems fine. Since the event I have towed about 450 miles, high speed solo runs of 300 miles and another 200 miles around town.

 

Colin

Edited 26 August, 2017 by eribaMotters

[tkerby]

VCDS Output:

 

Chassis Type: 5L-SK35 (7N0)

Address 01: Engine (J623-CFJA)       Labels:. 03L-906-018-CFF.clb
   Part No SW: 03L 906 018 QM    HW: 03L 907 309 AG
   Component: R4 2.0l TDI   H25 9978  
   Revision: 42H25---    Serial number:               
   Coding: 00190012043700080000
   Shop #: WSC 25069 210 00000
   ASAM Dataset: EV_ECM20TDI01103L906018QM 003007
   ROD: EV_ECM20TDI01103L906018QM.rod
   VCID: 05549B86E5A8525F68C-8051

1 Fault Found:
5286 - Throttle Position Sensor (G69) 
          P0121 00 [237] - Implausible Signal
          MIL ON - Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
             Freeze Frame:
                    Fault Status: 00000001
                    Fault Priority: 2
                    Fault Frequency: 21
                    Mileage: 5560 km
                    Date: 2017.08.06
                    Time: 19:41:48

                    Engine speed: 0.00 /min
                    Normed load value: 0.0 %
                    Vehicle speed: 0 km/h
                    Coolant temperature: 89 ∞C
                    Intake air temperature: 26 ∞C
                    Ambient air pressure: 1010 mbar
                    Voltage terminal 30: 12.900 V
                    Unlearning counter according OBD: 40
                    Air mass: actual value (mg/stroke): 0.0 mg/stroke
                    Throttle valve adapter: specified value: 0.00 %
                    Throttle valve adapter: actual value: 0.48 %
                    Throttle valve adapter: offset closed: -13.12 %
                    Throttle valve adapter: status-Bit 0: 00000000 
                    Throttle valve adapter: status-Bit 16: 00001000 
                    Throttle valve adapter: status-Bit 24: 00110111 
                    Throttle valve adapter: status-Bit 8: 00000111 
                    Throttle valve adapter: uncond voltage actual value: 997.0 mV

Readiness: 1 1 0 0 0 

 

 

Skoda Assist have reluctantly agreed to send a specialist technician tomorrow but I'm not sure if they will be able to help. I've insisted that if they don't recover it they provide a written statement that its fit to drive.

 

Not too happy about this given I'm getting married next weekend and have lots to do plus need the car for the honeymoon.  I suspect there is a reluctance to do a 60 mile recovery and provide a courtesy car for a few weeks.

[tkerby]

Any thoughts on whether I should be driving this before a Skoda Assist come back?

[Llanigraham]

I wouldn't.

[Auric Goldfinger]

Are you entitled to a replacement if the car was lifted by Skoda Assist and taken to the dealers if the car is unsafe to drive and needs repairing.

Edited 27 August, 2017 by Auric Goldfinger

[tkerby]

If Skoda assist take it in then I get a courtesy car and the dealer can take a look within 48 hours. Otherwise it's going to be about 10 days wait in Glasgow and about 3 weeks in Edinburgh / Fife

[Auric Goldfinger]

1 minute ago, tkerby said:

If Skoda assist take it in then I get a courtesy car and the dealer can take a look within 48 hours. Otherwise it's going to be about 10 days wait in Glasgow and about 3 weeks in Edinburgh / Fife

 

Sounds to me like it needs lifting.

[Guest FurryFriend]

Absolutely do not drive it. 

We had a TPS failure and believe me if you suddenly lose all power it is extremely frightening, and potentially highly dangerous for you and your passengers. On a motorway with big trucks about, even more so. 

Faulty TPS, Fuel Relay and Crankshaft position sensors...... Do not drive the car. 

[tkerby]

So looks like the Skoda technician may have fixed it. There is a known problem with a scheduled service action on Audi and VW but strangely not standard on Skoda (yet). 

 

What happens is where the EGR circuit connects into the air intake just beyond the throttle, there is an internal nozzle in the manifold that points back down towards the incoming air - directly at the throttle. If the throttle is closed and the egr open then it cakes the throttle body in soot and tar that dribbles down the air hose too. 

 

Fix is to file a new location notch on the nozzle and rotate 180 degrees and five the throttle a good clean with carb cleaner. Did a 5 mile drive with the tech running diagnostics and it didn't have any of the odd spikes I was seeing on VCDS where the throttle seemed to stick. Felt like driving a different car too - better acceleration and less gas needed pulling off. 

 

Will keep an an eye on VCDS for pending faults but hopefully that'll be a fix. Was frankly amazed how clogged the throttle was for 3500 miles on the clock (see pictures although some soot had been removed before I took them). 

 

Was also told that that the two local garages fobbed me off - if I had driven to them after Skoda assist they are obliged to look at the car within 48 hours and provide a courtesy car. 

[Breezy_Pete]

9 minutes ago, tkerby said:

frankly amazed how clogged the throttle was for 3500 miles

Yeah, me too.

[Guest FurryFriend]

Unbelievably filthy with regard to the mileage.  It might be a fix, but certainly not a good solution to the original problem. 

[tkerby]

I'm hopeful that turning the nozzle to point into the engine rather than the throttle should help but I'll probably get the garage to take the throttle off next service and check it again. 

 

Im wondering if the emissions fix adjusted the EGR and throttle operation which might have made the issue worse. 

 

 

[Breezy_Pete]

1 minute ago, tkerby said:

the emissions fix

Ah, yes, I believe VAG have admitted to upping the EGR flow rates as part of the 'fix'.

Edited 27 August, 2017 by Wino

[LJR540]

Hi all,

 

We have the same thing on our Skoda Yeti - TPS faulty - local garage near Doncaster diagnosed but seemed completely unconcerned. We have indeed had the emissions fix... Car is driving completely fine. No loss of power anywhere, no changes noticed. Have put 1000 miles on it since the light first came on. But what you're saying about it sounds a bit concerning...

 

My question is - how much did this cost you to fix? Although as you've said you've only done 3500 miles (ours is 116000) maybe you're still under warranty... Is this something a 'normal' garage can deal with or are we looking at a skoda only fix? We are looking to sell the car in a couple of weeks so hoping to get this sorted...

 

Cheers and thanks in advance.

[tkerby]

This was done under warranty by a Skoda technician at the roadside through Skoda assist. You should have three years to get this covered under warranty. No cost for me. 

 

The job isn't hard although the unit needs unbolted from the back by reaching under it so the chance of dropping bits is high. Moving the nozzle just needs a notch filed out and the whole block cleans nicely with carb cleaner. Also needs the service light cancelled out.

 

While a competent garage could do this, I'd play hell with Skoda that this is a standard service action on other group vehicles. 

Edited 9 September, 2017 by tkerby

[Yeti_Stu]

Hi guys.

 

After reading this thread I had the confidence to strip down my yeti today with the same problem. 

 

I've got a 2014 2.0l diesel 110hp.

 

It had the engine check light on and the fault code related to throttle pedal/ position sensor.

 

Easy enough to get the throttle body off. It's right at the front of the engine. Pop off the engine cover. Remove the wiring connection.  Undo the 2 jubilee clips on the large pipe feeding the throttle (7mm socket) and remove the pipe. Unbolt the oil filler pipe (10mm spanner) off of the throttle body. Then finally unbolt the three bolts (t30 torx) securing the body in place.

 

I then throughly cleaned the throttle body with a can of carburetor cleaner, a rag and a flat blade screwdriver. This took a good hour to do.

 

I sprayed some cleaner up into the manifold on the engine and put a rag under to catch the black slush that poured out.

 

Then it was just a reverse procedure to put it all back together. 

 

I didn't do the fix of reversing the EGR nozzle. I'm personally happier cleaning every 3-4 years than risking causing any damage in that respect. 

 

Just hopeful now the light stays off. But based on the increase in performance and amount of soot on the valve.  I'm pretty confident I'll be ok. 

 

Hope this helps someone in my position. I know I'm happier spending £5 on a can of cleaner over £££££'s at skoda. 

 

All the best in your endevours.

 

[MJW]

Many thanks to tkerby and Yeti_Stu for the guidance and photos.  Found similar amazing amounts of black crud in the throttle body on our 2013 45000 mile Yeti, cleaning has improved performance and cleared the engine light.  Nice simple job - if you have the dexterity of a surgeon, the hands of a small child and the strength of a wrestler!

 

Mark

[Daveyeti]

On 27/08/2017 at 15:46, tkerby said:

So looks like the Skoda technician may have fixed it. There is a known problem with a scheduled service action on Audi and VW but strangely not standard on Skoda (yet). 

 

What happens is where the EGR circuit connects into the air intake just beyond the throttle, there is an internal nozzle in the manifold that points back down towards the incoming air - directly at the throttle. If the throttle is closed and the egr open then it cakes the throttle body in soot and tar that dribbles down the air hose too. 

 

Fix is to file a new location notch on the nozzle and rotate 180 degrees and five the throttle a good clean with carb cleaner. Did a 5 mile drive with the tech running diagnostics and it didn't have any of the odd spikes I was seeing on VCDS where the throttle seemed to stick. Felt like driving a different car too - better acceleration and less gas needed pulling off. 

 

Will keep an an eye on VCDS for pending faults but hopefully that'll be a fix. Was frankly amazed how clogged the throttle was for 3500 miles on the clock (see pictures although some soot had been removed before I took them). 

 

Was also told that that the two local garages fobbed me off - if I had driven to them after Skoda assist they are obliged to look at the car within 48 hours and provide a courtesy car. 

 

On 27/08/2017 at 15:46, tkerby said:

So looks like the Skoda technician may have fixed it. There is a known problem with a scheduled service action on Audi and VW but strangely not standard on Skoda (yet). 

 

What happens is where the EGR circuit connects into the air intake just beyond the throttle, there is an internal nozzle in the manifold that points back down towards the incoming air - directly at the throttle. If the throttle is closed and the egr open then it cakes the throttle body in soot and tar that dribbles down the air hose too. 

 

Fix is to file a new location notch on the nozzle and rotate 180 degrees and five the throttle a good clean with carb cleaner. Did a 5 mile drive with the tech running diagnostics and it didn't have any of the odd spikes I was seeing on VCDS where the throttle seemed to stick. Felt like driving a different car too - better acceleration and less gas needed pulling off. 

 

Will keep an an eye on VCDS for pending faults but hopefully that'll be a fix. Was frankly amazed how clogged the throttle was for 3500 miles on the clock (see pictures although some soot had been removed before I took them). 

 

Was also told that that the two local garages fobbed me off - if I had driven to them after Skoda assist they are obliged to look at the car within 48 hours and provide a courtesy car. 

Just had same problem. Fault code was P012100. Was sorted within 24hrs at Skoda Bradford. Thanks to the team there. Credit where credit is due, always get great service.

[AdventureYeti]

We had this code twice over a 6 month period - car cutout completely, but restarted afterwards. Code both times was P0121. Our local Mr Clutch cleaned the throttle for £80 which seems a fair price.

 

Our Yeti has had all the textbook problems - Clutch breaking the gearbox, pinhole rust on the doors, drivers airbag sensor, noisy air intake - the internet has been kind with all the solutions!

 

 

[AdventureYeti]

Just a note to say it’s a 63 plate 4x4 2.0 Yeti Adventure - and this had not been cleaned before.

[J.R.]

The mileage would reveal far more than the age, how many has it done?

 

Mine looked like that at 82K miles, the emissions fix had been done but I dont know how long or how many miles before.

 

I have been meaning to expose it again so I can put an endoscope down to see if the clag had gone as far as the intake ports & valves, I have done 10K since the clean up so it will be interesting to see how much has returned & if I need to clean it again after a year.

[AdventureYeti]

69,000 miles. (Honestly shouldn’t have bought a diesel! 🤦🏼‍♂️😂)

[J.R.]

I think that mine had either been cleaned before or had done a lot of motorway miles, it will be very interesting to see how much crud a year of lockdown journeys has added, I have now fitted an EGR emulator/simulator so there will be no more crud but I should remove any that has built up since my last clean.

 

the car drove so much better afterwards and the fuel economy increased by about 12%!

[AdventureYeti]

From having this cleaned back in April 2021 - the same errors are coming now end of September 2022 - just under 80,000 miles on the clock. 

Booked in to have it cleaned again. Will ask for photos again.