How to Reset Throttle Position Sensor On Dodge Ram?
Knowing how to reset Dodge Ram throttle position sensor can save you from a lot of troubles.
It is not as hard as it seems. However, this guide should be enough for you to learn to reset the dodge ram throttle position sensor.
Along with that, we will be hovering over some other topics as well that everyone should know!
Here we go…
What is a throttle position sensor On Dodge Ram?
TPS or Throttle Position Sensor is a crucial component of any vehicle. This is what monitors the precise blend of air intake and fuel going into the engine.
In order to operate engine needs fuel and oil. Usually, vehicles take air via the intake valve and release the air through the MAS (Mass airflow sensor).
The air goes all the way to the intake and then it reaches the throttle body.
And the throttle body is placed in between the intake manifold and air filter.
In Dodge Ram, the TPS is placed on the butterfly shaft. Not only in Dodge Ram but TPS is also found on the butterfly shaft on most of the vehicles.
The reason is, from that location position sensor can monitor the throttle better.
One there used to be a wire connected with the gas pedal but not anymore.
With the blessings of technology now things are advancing, so are throttle position sensors. Now we have some latest forms of sensors.
There is CTPS or Closed Throttle Position Sensor which tells when the throttle is closed completely.
Not all vehicles use TPS for throttle monitoring. Some use electronic throttle control or a Drive by Wire system to monitor the throttle.
The accelerator is closely related to TPS since in most vehicles the acceleration pedal comes equipped with a wide-open throttle sensor.
Acceleration sensors are mostly used in DBW and ETC.
Symptoms Of A Bad Throttle Position Sensor On Dodge Ram?
There is no way to know if the throttle position sensor needs resetting or replacing without the symptoms.
When anything is wrong with the TPS, you will see massive changes in your vehicle behavior.
To those who don’t keep an eye out for any irregularities, always look for signs & symptoms, your vehicle might be begging for help.
However, I have come up with 8 symptoms of faulty throttle position sensors, take a look!
Jerking and Buckling.
This is the most common symptom of a faulty throttle position sensor. When the TPS is faulty, it continuously sends the wrong reading to the ECU which converts into inconsistent power.
Engine Light
The engine light on the dashboard is meant to indicate that something is wrong with the engine. That being said, when the engine light is on, that doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong with the TPS.
There are a lot of things that can cause engine problems and TPS is one of them. And when you see the engine lights on that means the engine needs treatment.
And now you have to find the problem immediately. Sometimes the engine light shows a false result but still, you shouldn’t ignore it.
To ensure that something is wrong with the engine you should get an OBD-II reader, this will perform a thorough system check and will let you know if anything is wrong with the engine.
Rough idle.
If your vehicle’s TPS is faulty that will result in rough idle. You might notice that the engine misfiring. Most of the time when the air or fuel gets starved in the engine it shows these symptoms.
And most of the time this problem is due to the faulty throttle position sensor.
Acceleration & Power Loss Issue
When the throttle position sensor isn’t working at all, your vehicle wouldn’t accelerate doesn’t matter how hard you push.
There are few other reasons as well why acceleration fails but most of the time it happens when the TPS is not working.
In the worst case, sometimes the vehicle picks up high speed automatically. If you are not an experienced driver, then controlling this would be so hard for you.
But the relief is, this is a symptom when the TPS fails completely. Before it fails totally there will be other light symptoms and you will have to act immediately.
Otherwise, you might find yourself hitting roadside trees, people, etc.
Rough Gear Shifting
In automatic vehicles, the transmission depends on a bunch of variables. And those variables are depended on the throttle position sensor.
So when anything is wrong with the TPS, you might experience rough gear shifting. Sometimes you might not be able to shift the gear at all. Or the gear shifting isn’t working.
Though this won’t happen in manual transmission.
Limp Mode
Now, most of the latest vehicles come with some sensors that tell the car if anything is wrong with the engine or any other thing.
And depending on that information the car reacts. For example, if you own a car with such an advanced feature, your car will go to limp mode if it senses anything wrong with the TPS.
In the limp mode what it says, the car will be extremely slow, you won’t be able to accelerate. This is actually to save the car from accidents and to let the driver know, time to see a mechanic.
Worst Fuel Economy
If the throttle position sensor is faulty, in some cases (rarely), the engine will use more air and fuel than regular. So you will see fuel level getting down pretty fast.
One thing you need to know here when the TPS fails completely it doesn’t supply any fuel at all.
Bad start.
A bad or rough start indicates there is surely something wrong with the engine.
Now a lot of things can cause engine problems. And TPS is one of them. When the TPS doesn’t work at all, it doesn’t supply any fuel to the engine. And therefore it doesn’t start.
And if you see the engine is not starting smooth, it is starting rough, that is probably saying that TPS is about to fail.
How to Reset Dodge Ram Throttle Position Sensor?
Resetting the throttle position sensor on Dodge Ram is super simple.
Insert the key to ignition and then turn it on. You will not be starting the engine, just turn the key to the next right stop. You should see a mark like “On” on the side of the ignition.
All the idiot lights should be on. And also check the engine light, it should be on too.
Now gently and slowly press the acceleration pedal. Slowly press it deep until it touches the ground.
And now slowly release the pedal.
Turn the ignition of which will be a left turn with the key. After doing it you would want to start the engine and the resetting is done.
How to Replace Throttle Position Sensor?
When you are shopping for a new throttle position sensor, go through the vehicle manual and make sure you are purchasing the right TPS. Otherwise, you will be in trouble.
Do whatever is needed to be done just to make sure that you are getting the right TPS.
- The very first thing you would want to do is finding the throttle position sensor. In Dodge Ram, it should be on the throttle body. To make it easier, the TPS is located at the top of the engine in most vehicles.
- For safety reasons disconnect the negative battery cable first. It is extremely important that you do this before replacing TPS. It eliminates the risk of getting electric shock or error code on the ECM (Engine control module).
- The next thing on the line is to remove the electrical connectors attached to the TPS. Use the tab on the side, removing these connectors will be super easy.
- After you are done removing the connectors, now it is time to unscrew the sensor. Check where the mounting screws are and very carefully unscrew them. Doing that you should have the sensor removed completely. (It is very easy to lose the screws, so make sure you keep them safe).
- Time to install the new throttle position sensor. Till now whatever you have done, now you will be doing the reverse. Mount the new TPS by screwing.
- The connectors you have removed, now attach the new connectors with the electrical system of the vehicle. Attaching the connector is very simple. With a little push, you will hear a click sound and that is it.
- Connect the negative battery cable. Do a final check that you have connected everything properly.
- Start your vehicle, keep it idle and then do some acceleration to ensure that you have done things in the proper manner.
- Being able to accelerate? Well, you have done an excellent job. The TPS replacement is done.
Final Verdict
I hope you understood how to reset throttle position sensor on Dodge ram. If there is anything else I can help you with, please hit the comment section without any hesitation.
Related Posts:
