hey guys

I have a problem with my TL. The TCL Off light flashes. I've done some trouble shooting and here are my results.

Leave it in Drive and give it hard acceleration, the TCL Off light will begin to flash when i hit about 5K rpm. It's in 1st gear.

if i have it in 2nd and give it hard acceleration, the TCL Off light will begin to flash about 3k rpm.

if i lock it down in 1st and accelerate slowly towards red line. The TCL off does NOT flash.

if i drive around like a grandpa, the TCL doesn't flash.

If i turn off the TCL and have the lamp constantly on, and give the car hard acceleration, the light will not flash, until i press it to turn it back on. Then the light will flash.

The car doesn't jerk or slow down like a fuel cut or traction control cut, but i have a funny feeling that it doesn't rev as hard or as fast.

BUT the days leading up to the TCL Off light flashing, the car would jump/ lose power for a instant (like the same feeling as the traction control would do) when cruising, with or without the cruise control. I first noticed it when it was changing gears between 1st and 2nd... the car would lose power for a second and then drive normally.

I've read that it would be the TPS, but i want to be certain. Is there a diagnostic you can perform on the actual TPS to be certain it is the module?

or if there's a simple answer....


any ideas are appreciated

nothing dodgy with your wheel sensors?

wheel sensors?

do you mean speed sensor?

anyway, i've done some more testing. It seems that my throttle has a sticking point. When i press the accelerate pedal, it feels normal and as i get to 1/2 way, the pedal feeling changes and it becomes slightly harder to press.
Under the bonnet, the throttle cable does the same thing. It's nice till you get about 1/2 way and then it changes.

When i tested it on the road. With the throttle at the 1/2 way point, sitting on the hard point, the car accelerates but the TCL OFF does not light up. But when i press the pedal past the 1/2 way point and into the hard section (not to the floor) and hold it there, the car accelerates as normal, then the TCL OFF begins to flash.

What is causing the throttle to have a step? how many other sensors are on the throttle?

There are ABS sensors on the wheels which are used in TCL system

is it a common problem/fault?

They are hall effect sensors and if bits of metal/dirt gets stuck on them they can mis-behave.
I think you can just unbolt them, clean them up and then see if the issue goes away.

i might do them when i bleed the brakes tomorrow. But i'm still more convinced that it's a throttle problem as mentioned in previous post

i worked out the problem.

The hose clamp that holds the rubber pipe from the AFM to the throttle body had moved and was interfering with the movement of the cable. So the sensors must've detected some discrepancy and displayed the TCL light.

Moved the hose clamp to a position that doesn't interfere with anything.