What is a Throttle Position Sensor?

In order for your car to work properly everything must be working in prime condition.  From something as big as a diesel turbo charger to something as small as a throttle position sensor, if one thing is malfunctioning your car will feel the effects.  We all know what car parts such as an AC Compressor does, but a lot of us can get confused when we start to talk about all these sensors.  I thought I would help you out a little bit and explain what a one of these sensors does.

Present day vehicles have an assortment of diverse sensors. When it comes to these sensors the key is “knowledge is power.”  The sensors supply the knowledge to the computer so that the computer knows how much power needs to be out. One such sensor is the Throttle Position Sensor.  This little guy is located on the intake butterfly on internal combustion engines.  The throttle position sensor is a potentiometer that reports to the computer in regards to how open the throttle is.  This valuable info combined with data from different sensors is used by the ECU to determine the correct fuel amount, ignition timing, and other important tasks.  In turbocharged vehicles, the throttle position sensor’s cherished information assists the wastegate for better car performance.

A malfunctioning Throttle Position Sensor means that the computer is not getting the correct information it needs to work properly.  This means the computer, the brain of your car, has lost a lot of its brain cells.  Your car may start to jerk, suddenly stall, and hesitate while accelerating, and the fuel economy will plummet.  So, make sure your brain is getting the right information so you’re not blowing a bunch of cash at the gas station.  If your Throttle Position Sensor is broken fix it immediately.

An Introduction to Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems

Since 2006 most car have been fitted with a TPMS or tire pressure monitor system to check for issues with the tires. The basic idea behind the TPS system is that the tires pressure can effect the movement of the car. Just like an oxygen sensor or air fuel ratio sensor the TPMS sensors are crucial to the proper operation of the car.

While the tire pressure may seem like a trivial element but when the facts are examined it become a lot more interesting. Tires that are 10% low on air will result in a 1% decrease in gas mileage which can start to show in your wallet later on.

The main issue with the TPMS systems is that the sensors in the wheels are all battery powered which means over time they all have a failure rate of 100%. When the TPMS systems fail they will turn on a light on the dash which will alert the drive and also cause the vehicle to fail a state inspection. The good thing about these parts is that they are cheap and can be replaced when a set of tires is installed on any vehicle. Each one of the the sensors relays info to the central computer and will be standard equipment on all civilian vehicles from 2012 on.