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Thread: Throttle body giving problems

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    3
    My Cars
    2003 e46 320i Touring

    Question Throttle body giving problems

    First off, hello everyone. I've been using the forum as a source for information for a while now, but this will be my first post.

    So about 2 months ago my 320i(m54b22) started giving me the fault code "p0121 throttle/pedal position sensor/switch A...". The fault code goes paired with the following symbols:20170523_141218.jpg(I just cleared the check engine light before I took the pic)
    Now just over a month ago I decided to buy a second hand OEM throttle body from Ebay and replace my throttle body, and I also replaced the DISA with a vaico one as it clearly had no life left in it anymore.
    After I swapped them out everything worked completely fine, however, after a month and +-2000km (1242mi) I am back to the original problem. First it just happened once and after clearing codes I could drive again for a while, but now it's permanent. ( also went like this on my original throttle body)
    Just as it happens I got two more codes today, "p1638 and p1639 throttle stuck temporarely and Permanently". Paired with those to codes the engine just revs up and down the whole time in neutral ( I don't dare to drive with it)

    With only p0121 the symptoms were as follows:

    200-300rpm higher resting rpm
    car stutter when releasing gas pedal at speed and with a gear in.
    seemingly less power (failsafe mode?)

    Tomorrow morning I'm going to dig down to the throttle body again and clean everything, untill then I wanted to ask if any of you have experience with this problem, tips or any other means to help me on this problem.
    Also is there a realistic chance that I just have bad luck and bought a throttle body that happened to break down after 2000km?

    Thanks in advance

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    New Mexico
    Posts
    915
    My Cars
    2003 328i
    It is possible that your replacement conked out. Try another one.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Chicagoland area
    Posts
    4,372
    My Cars
    EXOTICS
    Clear codes,disconnect battery for 10~30mins.
    Then read this and follow procedure:http://www.e46zone.com/forum/topic/4...daption-reset/
    Last edited by MIKYZZ4; 07-20-2017 at 04:22 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    3
    My Cars
    2003 e46 320i Touring
    Clear codes,disconnect battery for 10~30mins.
    Then read this and follow procedure:http://www.e46zone.com/forum/topic/4...daption-reset/
    Tried this but it didn't work good idea though.

    Considering I actually cleaned the used one before installing it I figured that it's probably not dirty. I ordered a new one now and then I'll see how it fares..

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    42 deg lat -70 deg long
    Posts
    43
    My Cars
    Yes, please.
    Maybe a plug was not fully connected? Some of the throttle plug connections are very tight.

    Also you could have overlooked a vacuum line when working on the throttle area.

    Try checking those things and then try the throttle adaptation procedure MIKYZZ4 mentioned.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Hamburg, NY USA
    Posts
    1,583
    My Cars
    e23, e32, e34, e39
    My sons 99 528i had the same throttle code and cluster lights. His car had no power and couldn't go over 5 MPH. He got it towed to my house and and after some searching I came across this when I pulled the dipstick:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3eg4dXr1NY

    I had the CCV stuff, so I swapped it out. I cleaned the throttle body while it was off. Problem gone.

    Just something to look at.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    3
    My Cars
    2003 e46 320i Touring
    Maybe a plug was not fully connected? Some of the throttle plug connections are very tight.
    So I ordered a new throttle body but not a OEM one, just some chinese one. Just before I was going to put it in the car I noticed it rattled like some plastic toy that's been broken from the inside. That, along with some other fishy things around that throttle body, made me decide to return the part and not risk it for the biscuit today.
    But while I had everything out I figured I might as well clean all my connectors with MAF cleaner I had lying around and cleaned the throttle body with TB cleaner. I made sure all connectors were attached firmly.
    And what do you know, it worked again! I let the car idle for a bit and then drove for about 30 mins without any problems.
    After it worked again I had this vague idea of the throttle body connector indeed not being attached properly the last time I disconnected it... I'm really not sure but it could be that some of the extremely poor roads in France shook it loose after not being connected properly in the first place. And then maybe after a while it got even more loose causing the problem to be more frequent maybe? Who knows.

    Anyways I guess it's solved for now, If any problems come up with it in the future I'll report back.
    Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

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