Cause
Faulty throttle actuator motor
The motor that opens the throttle plate, since there is no cable on a modern engine. When it cannot achieve the commanded position the vehicle drops into reduced power rather than guessing, which is the correct response and why the symptom is limp mode.
Carbon around the plate loads the motor, so a throttle body that has never been cleaned is worth ruling out before the motor is condemned.
Typically a moderate job.
Some of these codes mean you should stop driving
9 of the 13 codes this can cause indicate a fault where continuing to drive risks damage or is unsafe. Which one you have matters more than the cause does — read the code's own page before deciding.
Codes this can cause (13)
Codes where this is a likely explanation first, rather than merely a possible one.
- P0638 Throttle Actuator Control Range/Performance — Bank 1 Likely for this code High
- P0639 Throttle Actuator Control Range/Performance — Bank 2 Likely for this code High
- P2100 Throttle Actuator A Control Motor Circuit/Open Likely for this code Stop driving High
- P2101 Throttle Actuator A Control Motor Circuit Range/Performance Likely for this code Stop driving High
- P2102 Throttle Actuator A Control Motor Circuit Low Likely for this code Stop driving High
- P2103 Throttle Actuator A Control Motor Circuit High Likely for this code Stop driving High
- P2108 Throttle Actuator A Control Module Performance Likely for this code Stop driving High
- P2112 Throttle Actuator A Control System — Stuck Closed Likely for this code Stop driving High
- P2118 Throttle Actuator A Control Motor Current Range/Performance Likely for this code High
- P2119 Throttle Actuator A Control Throttle Body Range/Performance Likely for this code Stop driving High
- P2104 Throttle Actuator Control System — Forced Idle Stop driving High
- P2111 Throttle Actuator A Control System — Stuck Open Stop driving Critical
- P2174 Throttle Actuator Control System — Sudden Low Air Flow Detected High
Information, not instruction
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Have anything you intend to act on checked by a trained person against the manufacturer's own procedure for your vehicle. Nothing here replaces that procedure.
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