Low power engine while driving

Tiny
LIB321
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 JEEP LIBERTY
  • 65,000 MILES
This concerns a 2007 Jeep Liberty, well maintained, 65k miles.
3 episodes over 10 days where the vehicle loses most of its power while driving.

I get warning signals on the dashboard (number 26 and number 28. Page 166 in the manual). 26 is electronic throttle control warning light; number 28 is electronic stability program for traction control system.

Each time the jeep lost power, would only do about 15 or 20 mph, I pulled over, I turned the engine on and off a few times, and the Jeep would start up and run fine.

The first 2 episodes happened on the same morning, and I drove over to the Chrysler Jeep place and talked to a couple guys in the service department. I described what had happened and they told me they could not do anything to find the cause because the warning lights were not on right now and a diagnostics test would not show anything -- the error codes do not get stored.

I bought an OPD2 reader to use while the warning lights were on. This morning it happened again (3rd time). I pulled over, with the engine running I plugged the thing in and got no codes. I shut the engine off, then keyed to "on", and again could get no codes from the OPD2.

Does anybody have any idea what is going on, and how to fix it?

Many thnx
Friday, April 12th, 2013 AT 7:13 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
You have a fly by wire failure on your throttle.

It is either the throttle body or pedal sensor.

Take it to another dealer as these guys dont know what they are doing

Roy
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Saturday, April 13th, 2013 AT 3:07 AM
Tiny
LIB321
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Thanks for the response - I'm in a real bind over this.

Just a few questions.
1) how confident are you that it's either the throttle body or pedal sensor? Dead on, or probably is, or?
2) is one more likely than the other?
3) should the repair preferably be done at a Jeep dealer, or any good repair garage?
4) roughly speaking, what should it cost to get these fixed / replaced?

Thnx again
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Saturday, April 13th, 2013 AT 5:20 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
I am here and you are there. From my expierence, I believe it is the throttle body as it is the most common failure.

It can be done at a shop. Make sure they use oem parts

throttle body around 500 with 1 hour in labor.

Roy
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Saturday, April 13th, 2013 AT 6:10 PM
Tiny
GARRYTERESA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have 2007 jeep liberty. Loses power when accelerating(suddenly), around 20-30 mph. Car idles fine. I also had the plugs changed(expensive)
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Tuesday, September 19th, 2017 AT 9:10 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,643 POSTS
It sounds like you could have an exhaust system that has blockage due to the catalytic converter goes bad or the muffler that has come apart inside.

Here are a couple of guides that will get us going in the right direction so we can get it fixed.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-a-catalytic-converter

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-has-low-power-output

Do you have a check engine light on? If so we need to run the codes.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken
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Wednesday, September 20th, 2017 AT 12:01 PM
Tiny
FRANK HUGHES
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
The Jeep was bought at a dealership used at 110,000 miles. It first started off having one misfire on number 1, I replaced all spark plugs and that coil. Then misfire number 2. I replaced that coil. What it does is, when accelerating between 35 mph - 65mph it will jerk, stutter, and lose acceleration power if you push the pedal down to the floor it won't accelerate and the front wheels will stop, but if you let it coast, you can resume power, but it will repeat this about 8 times driving it. I went to Auto Zone as a new code appeared for the Throttle Position Sensor, I replaced that, but still have the same issue. What is the issue?
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Monday, May 27th, 2019 AT 7:40 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,643 POSTS
The sensor you replaced was by the accelerator? If so It sounds like the car is going into limp mode. Let try servicing the throttle bore. here is a guide:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/reduced-power-limp-mode

Please run down this guide and report back.

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Wednesday, May 29th, 2019 AT 5:46 PM

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