2006 Ford Explorer No acceleration & throttle problems
Here's the short history of my problem with my 2006 Explorer. About eight weeks ago I was driving along at about 50 mph with no symptoms. Suddenly I had a loss of power to the drivetrain while in gear. The 'gold wrench' powertrain light came on, then the 'engine' warning light came on.
I coasted to a stop on the side of the road, still in gear, with the accelerator pedal still depressed. I then shut the Explorer off and restarted it, put it in gear and took off for home.
About 200 yards down the street, I completely lost all power to the wheels again, pulled over, restarted the vehicle and again took off for home. Another 1/4 mile and it happened again. I had to stop and restart the vehicle four times to get home.
The Explorer went into 'failsafe' mode and would not go above 30 MPH or so. My mechanic took it and scanned it. After looking at the codes, he ordered a new throttle motor and installed it. That worked just fine for about seven weeks, then the SAME THING happened. Total loss of power, powertrain and engine warning lights came on, it went into failsafe mode and it limped home again.
I went to drive it to his shop and all it did was idle roughly and nothing else. When idling and in gear or out of gear, the RPMs would only rise by 30 to 60 RPMs and the Explorer would only barely rock back and forth as I stepped on the accelerator pedal.
My mechanic and I assumed that it was a defective throttle motor that he had replaced just seven weeks before, so he ordered another one, under warranty of course and installed it and nothing improved.
He then replaced the TPS (throttle position sensor) and nope, it remained the same and would only idle roughly. Stepping on the accelerator, even flooring it, would only VERY marginally raise the RPMs, barely perceptibly so.
IDEAS??
I was thinking it could possibly be the Idle Validation Switch (IVS) or the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensors (APPS).
But my mechanic seems to think that it may be the entire Powertrain Control Module (PCM). He is leaning toward ordering a new PCM at over $500.00, but if that isn't it, I am VERY opposed toward spending another $500+ on it, as I have already spent a bundle replacing the Throttle Motor two months ago.
From what I have read elsewhere if the PCM detects a problem with both APPS, it will only allow the vehicle to idle, which is what we see.
But on the other hand, if it is the Idle Validation Switch (IVS) which maybe has dirty contacts, and the PCM does not sense that the contacts are closed, it will then ignore any signals from the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS).
Question: Does the 2006 Ford Explorer have a combined TPS & IVS, or are they separate? Also, my mechanic is also under the impression that there is just one Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor, but I think that there are two redundant ones, which may both be bad.
Any ideas? Anything at all. It has been out of commission for the past ten days.