When the truck is cold and not under hard giddy-up-and-go, the throttle response surges. I also noticed it last night while sitting in the car was trying to keep my RPMs up so the truck wouldn't stall like it does only when it ets a bath. Never stalled any other time other than while running it through the wash. I applied som skinny pedal to keep the RPMs about 2500 and it would surge regularly and constantly while in the car wash.

Are these two issues related and what could it be?

 

bad TPS. $42 at autozone.

 

What does TPS stand for?

nvm - found it under thyr glossary

TPS - Throttle Position Sensor.

 

Yup. Driver's side of the throttle body.

I just replaced mine at the beginning of February, and had the issue where, after going through a car wash, the RPMs would jump up to almost 2000 at idle, and they'd stay there until the truck was off for an extended period of time. Exchanged it, problem solved.

O'Reillys has them for about the same price, and they have lifetime warranties. Autozone is good for some things, but their TPS units only come with 1 year warranties.

 

yeah, my truck would idle fine, but when takin off with engine cold it would run funny until warm unless i got down on it......my tps tested fine, but it was the culprit

 

So what is the deal with it acting up when going through a car wash? Not like you are soaking the engine bay.

 

mine hasnt...

 

Mine was a little wet on the back side. I may have a leak somewhere along the back of the hood, but nothing else was wet, so I don't know for sure.

 

i washed my engine off the other night and it was sitting there afterward running perfect for awhile, and then out of the blue it started surging up and down at idle, and bucking and stalling when decelerating. i didn't have a good spare so i just bought a new one.

when i took the old one off it was wet inside. it might work ok after it dries out, so i kept it as a spare.

 

Ok....the plot thickens. Took today off from working on the truck, and my wife's jeep because it was my son's birthday. But I did have time to have him sit in it and wiggle the steering wheel while I looke at the steering box. 11 hours later, I notice the dome lights are on. My son turned them on and left them on. Out I go to find the batter doesn't have enough juice to kick over. I jump it and now it won't idle at all....just dies when the throttle is let up. I am thinking that the TPS is toast. Could it be the IAC? Looks like I know what I will be doing tomorrow.