[Dalescarpentry]

I had a very very weird thing happen to my truck this morning. I have a 2003 Chevy Silverado 2500HD. It has the 6 liter engine and is four wheel drive. Last night we had the first freeze of the year. I went out to my truck this morning to go to work and started it. When I stepped on the gas pedal nothing happened. My check engine light was on and where the odometer is it read reduced engine power. This is very strange. I though if maybe I sat there and let it warm up the problem may go away. On a side note I always thought the gas pedal was run by a cable. I sat there for maybe 25 minutes and still no response from the gas pedal. I figured well looks like I am taking the wife's car to work. I went in an argued a little with her about taking her car. I then went back out to give my truck one more try before I left in her car. This time the gas pedal worked and off I went in my truck. The check engine light was still on but the the thing that said reduced engine power was off. I drove about another 20 minutes and the check engine light went off. Can anyone out there what is wrong with my truck? Do you think this could be a one time thing? I sure hope it is not the computer. I sure can't afford a couple thousand dollars to fix it. Dale

 

[krochus]

On a side note I always thought the gas pedal was run by a cable.

Nope! even the trusty omnipresent throttle cable is now a thing of the past. Your truck employs a drive by wire system for the throttle actuation. The gas petal is connected to a sensor that the computer takes readings from and tells a servo motor attached to the throttle body what to do.

 

[Dalescarpentry]

krochus it sounds like some thing you might know about? Do I have real problems or what? I would think a sensor problem would be a lot cheaper to fix than a computer. Please give me any ideas you have on this because I know nothing about this type of thing. Dale

 

[300winman]

Dale,

Most throttle response problems come from the TPS(throttle position sensor). without a reference to throttle position, your computer will not deliver fuel. Your engine will start and idle because the air flow is controlled by the idle air control(IAC) which bypasses air around the throttle plate during idle. Or as stated, maybe gas pedal sensor on the fritz. Hard to tell without the code. Best I can do for ya sitting here.

I would invest in a cheap code reader(around $40) and get the code for the check engine light(some readers erase codes). These new vehicles have sensors that go out left and right. The light maybe out but the code maybe locked in memory for troubleshooting. Most sensors are an electrical connector and 1 or 2 bolts. A chilton manual and code reader can save yourself alot of money in simple sensor replacements. For example, my wife had problems with our grandcherokee 2 months back. it was not shifting correctly and could not go over 35 mph. I plugged in the code reader(under driver side dash on all vehicles 1996 and later-obd2 plug) and got the code for an output sensor. replaced the output sensor(side of tranny-1 bolt and connector) for $49. good as new. I checked the local tranny shop. it would have cost me $250 for toubleshooting and sensor replacement. it took me 15 min.

 

[Hairtrigger]

Auto Zone will check codes for free