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Throttle Actuator Motor

Opens and closes the throttle plate on a drive-by-wire engine, where it is the connection between pedal and engine — there is no cable. Driven through an H-bridge, because the throttle must be actively closed as well as opened rather than merely released, and spring-loaded to a default position slightly open so that losing power leaves the engine at a fast idle rather than stopping dead. That spring is what "limp home" means on a modern petrol engine. Its most useful diagnostic property is current draw: a motor working against carbon in the bore draws more to achieve the same movement, so a rising current trend measures deposits accumulating long before the throttle actually sticks.

Also known as: throttle motor, throttle actuator, etc motor, drive by wire motor, throttle control motor

Referenced by 34 codes

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Codes involving this component (34)

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