2006 Ford Explorer No acceleration/electronic throttle control problems

[savetheguns]

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.

 

[savetheguns]

Also, my mechanic says that he is not familiar with the Idle Validation Switch (IVS) on the 2006 Ford Explorers. Does this year and model even have one? I don't know...

I think I need a TRULY seasoned Ford mechanic, but I don't know. My mechanic has been GREAT to us for the past almost ten years.

 

[polizi212]

has he read any of the codes? What codes did you get?

 

[savetheguns]

I don't have the actual codes with me. But they indicated problems with the throttle motor, the throttle position sensor and one other thing that I don't recall at the moment. But the items that came up in the codes have all been replaced and the accelerator pedal still is only raising the RPMs by a few dozen at best. I can try to get the actual codes if it will help. But my mechanic has been doing this for more than half of his life and he is stumped.

I just messaged him for the codes. He will probably get back to me within a day or so and I'll repost the codes if I can.

 

[polizi212]

I know what its like to beat your head off the wall trying to figure out a problem. Please post the codes when you get them with a group this size we may be-able to offer an idea that was not explored before!

 

[rmcknight]

my money is on poor / failing wiring or harness to the throttle body. Esp if replacing it (fiddling with it) fixed it once.

Try cleaning all the contacts in the harness.
Try running the vahicle without the air intake, and see what happens when you a) push the butterfly manually and b) if it at all moves when you step on the accelerator.

 

[savetheguns]

The wiring harness has been checked for chafing/exposed wires and they're fine. He cleaned all of the contacts in the wiring harness as well. He put on a new Throttle Body today and I'm still getting almost no input to the engine from the accelerator pedal.

Also it is not the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor(s) because depressing the pedal with the intake off moves the throttle plate. But there is no input to the engine, so at this point, we are thinking that it could be computer related or the PCM.

My mechanic just tossed in the towel after almost two weeks of struggling with it and it is now on the way to get serviced at the Arundel Ford service department in Arundel, Maine, about an hour away.

Sorry, but I did not get the codes. But the codes were related to the throttle motor, throttle position sensor and maybe the Powertrain Control Module.

Oh boy am I frustrated, but I think this is just the beginning of my trial with this vehicle, which I am going to be paying on still for the next four years, as I just bought it about a year ago in August 2012.

OKAY, BRAND NEW POST...

My mechanic went to try to move the Explorer to a slightly better position for the tow truck and now the 'gold wrench' powertrain warning light is out and I've got full throttle back.

I don't trust it at all now.

Why would this be intermittent? That is the next question. Why would this problem be intermittent?

 

[savetheguns]

Latest posted update. Just got it back from my local Ford Dealer. The code was PO 2111 and my Ford Dealer replaced the entire Throttle Body and Motor Assembly. I drove it without incident for the 30+ miles home from the dealer. So far, so good.

Now, onto the slipping transmission and the slow leak in the radiator...

Thanks to everyone who tried to help me out. Now for the next problems in my 2006 Ford Explorer saga...

 

[Bobmbx]

Now, onto the slipping transmission and the slow leak in the radiator...

Thanks to everyone who tried to help me out. Now for the next problems in my 2006 Ford Explorer saga...

I can help you with these.

1. Tranny. Before you do anything, do this: Drive for a few days with the AC off, and hopefully without rain. Get a sense of how the tranny performs after that time. Then, drive with the AC on, normally. See if there is a difference.

My 2006 has tranny "issues" because the condensate from the evaporator (cooling coils inside the dash) drains onto the tranny cabling, and that provides a path directly to the connector on the tranny. It gets wet, and causes the tranny to do strange things. You can see the waterfall raining down onto the cabling if you crawl under while the ac is running. Its a dumb design.

2. Radiator: If the slow leak is up high and you keep enough coolant to operate in the normal temp range, don't bother spending money. I have a leak at top of my radiator, but the level never drops below the top of the coils inside, so I don't feel like fixing it. I don't have pressure, but so what. If you live in a desert or tow a lot, then you'll need a new radiator. And since you have a 2006, in a few years (or months even) you'll replace it again. Tons of history on the radiators.

 

[savetheguns]

Thanks Bobmbx, I'll look into that. But I wouldn't know how to find the transmission cabling or where to look for that. Can you possibly send me more info/photos on where to look for that dripping on the cable? Can you possibly insert an image into a post right here? Thanks, again. Staying on this forum will be a great help to me, as I'm sure I'm in for a long series of problems with this vehicle.

My regular mechanic has a good friend who is a seasoned mechanic at a local Ford Dealer and he has said that Ford has seen a LOT of problems with 2006 Explorers.

 

[Zagnut]

Necro resurrection!

Similar issue past few weeks. Only happened maybe 4 times in the last month.

Acceleration while keeping a steady foot, no acceleration. Mash the pedal to the floor, VERY delayed response.

Actually took the intake off, opened throttle body butterfly with my fingers (with intake sensors both connected, and disconnected) and the engine fell on its face and stalled.

However, no magic wrench, check engine, etc lights.

4L 6 banger.