1996 Chrysler Town and Country 96 Chrysler T&C 3.8 trou

KOBY

MEMBER
1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
120,000 MILES

I have a 1996 Chrysler Town & Country LXI 3.8 and have been having problems with fixing codes. My ceck engine light came on so I got a code reader. It read P0120 which is Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor A Circuit and P0122 which is Throttle/Pedal Postion Sensor A Circuit Low Input. I replaced the Trottle Position Senor and still get the same problem, same codes. The engine seems to be spuratic sometimes when I acelerate and when I am coasting at around 2000 RPM. Any ideas what it can be?

5 Replies

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

Ok so what I need you to do is use your scanner and plug it in turn the key on engine off. Now using your scanner read the voltage coming from the tps with the throttle closed. Let me know what the voltage is and we will go from there.

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Monday, September 28th, 2009 AT 1:26 PM

KOBY

MEMBER
28 POSTS

All I have is an Actron PocketScan Plus. How do I read the voltage coming from the TPS. When I did the reading the engine was already off.

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Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 AT 9:57 PM

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

Ok you will need to have a paper clip and a digital multi meter. First you will need to find the TPS and the plug where it plugs into the harness. Now you will notice three wires to it. Find the one that is violet with the white stripe. Back probe the harness at that wire with the paper clip and hook up the multi meter. With key on engine off you should get 5 volts. If not then stop and get back to me. Now if you do get 5 volts then turn key off and now back probe the Orange wire with the Dk Blue stripe. Again turn key on engine off you should get a reading of.8 to 1 volt with the throttle closed. Now slowly open the throttle and watch the voltage, it should steadily increase with no drops in voltage or glitches. At wide open throttle you should get 4.5 to 5 volts. Let me know how the test goes and we will take it from there.

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Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 AT 9:42 AM

KOBY

MEMBER
28 POSTS

I didn't have a digital multi meter, but I had a meter that reads ohms and voltage. (The kind with the needle pointer) Had the engine off but still have power going to everything. I put the negative line on the negative battery terminal and the positive line on the wires to get a reading. I checked the violet and white stripe wire and it read about 4.2 to 4.5 volts. Also checked the orange and blue striped wire and it read about 0.5 closed and went up to about 3.5 to 3.8 all the way opened. Is this why I'm getting a P0122 code? I just recently replaced the TSP sensor with a new one so it shouldn't be that.

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Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 AT 9:07 PM

RACEFAN966

MECHANIC
5,029 POSTS

Well you wouldnt think it should be the TPS but I never assume that anything is good. I highly recomend a digital multi meter as it is much more acurate and pics up changes faster. Also a digital multi meter supply's its own power which is better on the computer in your car. So now it is looking like it might be the PCM (power control module, computer) or the TCM (Transmission Control Module). Now I need you to use the pic below to find the TCM it is near the winshield washer reservior. Unplug it and then go back and run a test on the TPS again. Now this time you will just check what the voltage is at both wires with the throttle closed and key on engine off. After you get the voltage readings then turn key off and plug the TCM back in. Now if you get more then 1 volt then the TCM is bad and you need to replace it. If less then 1 volt then we will check the PCM.
To check the PCM you set you meter for ohm now you check the ohms between the orange wire with the dk blue stripe and the black wire with the light blue stripe at the TPS connector. If there is less the 5 ohm then you have short in one of the two wires. If you get more then 5 ohms then the PCM is bad and needs to be replaced. Let me know what you find.