2007 Saturn ion limp mode
#1
02-16-2018, 11:19 AM
2007 Saturn ion limp mode
hey everyone, new guy on the block here , a pleasure!
i have a 2007 Saturn ion that just went into limp mode , the usual, can't rev beyond 3000 rpm, barely got her the 3 mile drive home . Read many posts and thought I would ask for a bit of your expertise . I replaced the whole throttle body but nothing, do I need to reset anything ?
another odd thing about after she went into limp mode, I got her home and she stalled so I cranked her over but barely got her started to move her in the garage tha she stalled again but while cranking her over it seems like the cranking sound was there but the engine wasn't actually cranking over if that makes any sense . You know how it feels and sounds when your own car is cranking and she doesn't seem like she actually is . Did I fry the starter ? because it sounds like the starter is cranking but not engaging , it's the weirdest thing and when I stop cranking her over it continues to crank over by itself for a couple more cycles about 2 seconds ?
any help would be greatly appreciate guys as I am at a loss as to what to do next , replace the ecm, starter etc etc ?
thanks
steve
i have a 2007 Saturn ion that just went into limp mode , the usual, can't rev beyond 3000 rpm, barely got her the 3 mile drive home . Read many posts and thought I would ask for a bit of your expertise . I replaced the whole throttle body but nothing, do I need to reset anything ?
another odd thing about after she went into limp mode, I got her home and she stalled so I cranked her over but barely got her started to move her in the garage tha she stalled again but while cranking her over it seems like the cranking sound was there but the engine wasn't actually cranking over if that makes any sense . You know how it feels and sounds when your own car is cranking and she doesn't seem like she actually is . Did I fry the starter ? because it sounds like the starter is cranking but not engaging , it's the weirdest thing and when I stop cranking her over it continues to crank over by itself for a couple more cycles about 2 seconds ?
any help would be greatly appreciate guys as I am at a loss as to what to do next , replace the ecm, starter etc etc ?
thanks
steve
Last edited by Lunchman; 02-16-2018 at 11:39 AM.
#2
02-17-2018, 04:19 PM
One thing at a time. Check your battery and make sure it has a full charge. If it's okay, then take the starter off and to your nearest chain auto parts store and let them test it. Hell, take the battery and have them load test it too. Just because it has a full charge doesn't necessarily mean there's not a dead cell in it If they both check out okay, then start looking at your ground connections. As for the limp mode, stupid question. Have you checked your trans fluid to make sure it's full? If it's full, I'd check the connection from the wiring harness to the TCM if this car even has a TCM. I don't know. How many miles are on it and have you ever changed the trans fluid and filter?
#3
03-03-2018, 04:33 PM
Ok guys a quick update on the limp mode situation.
read a few articles on perhaps the issue could be a bad throttle body so I got one from the junk yard, cleaned it up in a parts cleaner solution and put it on and same thing nothing , just cranks but won't start.
purchesed an ECM online and had it coded to my vin and everything else they required for the encoding . Put it in went through the learning mode for the security in the key and it went as planned the ECM recognized the key and she started up not the problem is that she still runs like she is in limp mode, can't go being 4K rpm's , doesn't matter how much gas only goes a certain speed and not very fast but there is no lower power light on the dash. My question is could it be the junk yard throttle body that I cleaned up with a parts cleaning solution, could it have gotten in the throttle position sensor on the throttle body itself and messed it all up? If I hit the gas while idling the rpm's race up and than stay high for a few seconds and than slowly come down and I do mean slowly . Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
thanks again
read a few articles on perhaps the issue could be a bad throttle body so I got one from the junk yard, cleaned it up in a parts cleaner solution and put it on and same thing nothing , just cranks but won't start.
purchesed an ECM online and had it coded to my vin and everything else they required for the encoding . Put it in went through the learning mode for the security in the key and it went as planned the ECM recognized the key and she started up not the problem is that she still runs like she is in limp mode, can't go being 4K rpm's , doesn't matter how much gas only goes a certain speed and not very fast but there is no lower power light on the dash. My question is could it be the junk yard throttle body that I cleaned up with a parts cleaning solution, could it have gotten in the throttle position sensor on the throttle body itself and messed it all up? If I hit the gas while idling the rpm's race up and than stay high for a few seconds and than slowly come down and I do mean slowly . Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
thanks again
#4
03-03-2018, 08:42 PM
Ok guys a quick update on the limp mode situation.
read a few articles on perhaps the issue could be a bad throttle body so I got one from the junk yard, cleaned it up in a parts cleaner solution and put it on and same thing nothing , just cranks but won't start.
purchesed an ECM online and had it coded to my vin and everything else they required for the encoding . Put it in went through the learning mode for the security in the key and it went as planned the ECM recognized the key and she started up not the problem is that she still runs like she is in limp mode, can't go being 4K rpm's , doesn't matter how much gas only goes a certain speed and not very fast but there is no lower power light on the dash. My question is could it be the junk yard throttle body that I cleaned up with a parts cleaning solution, could it have gotten in the throttle position sensor on the throttle body itself and messed it all up? If I hit the gas while idling the rpm's race up and than stay high for a few seconds and than slowly come down and I do mean slowly . Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
thanks again
read a few articles on perhaps the issue could be a bad throttle body so I got one from the junk yard, cleaned it up in a parts cleaner solution and put it on and same thing nothing , just cranks but won't start.
purchesed an ECM online and had it coded to my vin and everything else they required for the encoding . Put it in went through the learning mode for the security in the key and it went as planned the ECM recognized the key and she started up not the problem is that she still runs like she is in limp mode, can't go being 4K rpm's , doesn't matter how much gas only goes a certain speed and not very fast but there is no lower power light on the dash. My question is could it be the junk yard throttle body that I cleaned up with a parts cleaning solution, could it have gotten in the throttle position sensor on the throttle body itself and messed it all up? If I hit the gas while idling the rpm's race up and than stay high for a few seconds and than slowly come down and I do mean slowly . Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
thanks again
Can't hurt to try the original throttle body
#5
03-05-2018, 12:41 PM
Ok latest update,
replaced the TB thinking I might have damaged it cleaning it in the solvent and almost submerging it . I got one from a wrecked ion same year and all , tried starting it again but nothing, if I hold the gas pedal down and hold it there she wants to fire up but Boggsdown and doesn't stay running. Any thoughts or ideas guys , any help would be greatly pprecietd !!
thanks
steve
replaced the TB thinking I might have damaged it cleaning it in the solvent and almost submerging it . I got one from a wrecked ion same year and all , tried starting it again but nothing, if I hold the gas pedal down and hold it there she wants to fire up but Boggsdown and doesn't stay running. Any thoughts or ideas guys , any help would be greatly pprecietd !!
thanks
steve
#6
03-06-2018, 03:13 AM
what's the deal with the thing cranking for 2 seconds after you release the key?
Is the starter fully engaging?
If you were able to get it running after ECM Replacement but had low power w/o low power light, sounds like time to collect some rel time data w a decent scanner and find out what is out of whack.
So these cars have a 2 part TPS system, with one part at the gas pedal and one on the throttle body?
Put your good ECM and your original throttle body back on and see what it does
Is the starter fully engaging?
If you were able to get it running after ECM Replacement but had low power w/o low power light, sounds like time to collect some rel time data w a decent scanner and find out what is out of whack.
So these cars have a 2 part TPS system, with one part at the gas pedal and one on the throttle body?
Put your good ECM and your original throttle body back on and see what it does
#7
03-06-2018, 08:39 AM
Hey Derf,
i apprecite your I put busy as I am at a loss as to what to check next , I would love to get codes and real data but unfortunately the port is dead, I hook a scanner up to it and nothing but it was dead long before this problem arose so I have no way of getting any data from the car . Someone suggested possibly a clogged catalytic converter , any thoughts there firm anyone and any way to check it without actually unbolting it from the rest of the exhaust ? The way she is acting it sounds like it might be the culprit.
ps: I used a good tb , actually tried a couple on there as my old one was in bad shape , she wants to start when the peddle is to the floor but starts to start than Boggs down . wondering if I should just go ahead and buy a brand new one and hope that's it, thanks for your input and thoughts to all of you as this is all new territory for me .
i apprecite your I put busy as I am at a loss as to what to check next , I would love to get codes and real data but unfortunately the port is dead, I hook a scanner up to it and nothing but it was dead long before this problem arose so I have no way of getting any data from the car . Someone suggested possibly a clogged catalytic converter , any thoughts there firm anyone and any way to check it without actually unbolting it from the rest of the exhaust ? The way she is acting it sounds like it might be the culprit.
ps: I used a good tb , actually tried a couple on there as my old one was in bad shape , she wants to start when the peddle is to the floor but starts to start than Boggs down . wondering if I should just go ahead and buy a brand new one and hope that's it, thanks for your input and thoughts to all of you as this is all new territory for me .
#8
03-06-2018, 12:18 PM
It's a lot cheaper to disconnect the cat con and check it than buy a new TB and HOPE that fixes the problem. I'd suggest you get under the car with a rubber mallet and tap the cat con in a few places. If you hear rattling inside, then disconnect it and see if the car will start. If not, then that's not the problem. Check the wiring going to the TPS. You may have a shorted or broken wire or connector.
#9
03-07-2018, 01:10 PM
you can also pull the front O2 sensor and hook up a back pressure tester, or let it run with the port open and see if it improves performance. The sluggishness is consistent with cat con clogging, Just realize that was likely not the source of the orig problem.
You can get the port to work again -- but it can be a pain
You can get the port to work again -- but it can be a pain
#10
03-09-2018, 06:51 PM
Hoping I might be able to help
dead diagnostic port- check cigarette lighter fuse (they’re on same fuse)
past that, check all the chassis grounds, there are a couple to the engine, one from trunk floor to battery and I think one from under hood fuse box to front subframe? Or maybe that one goes to the starter, I can’t remember...
check battery terminals, clean as needed
then check the connections at the ECM/PCM, make sure they’re tight...
then check the connection at the plug behind the drivers side kick panel. All of the electronic throttle IONs have this plug and a bad connection here usually results in limp mode... clean it with MAF cleaner and then use dielectric grease upon reassembly...
then check the the throttle pedal itself... they can and do go bad on the electronic throttle IONs, usually results in a code but I don’t remember which one...
dead diagnostic port- check cigarette lighter fuse (they’re on same fuse)
past that, check all the chassis grounds, there are a couple to the engine, one from trunk floor to battery and I think one from under hood fuse box to front subframe? Or maybe that one goes to the starter, I can’t remember...
check battery terminals, clean as needed
then check the connections at the ECM/PCM, make sure they’re tight...
then check the connection at the plug behind the drivers side kick panel. All of the electronic throttle IONs have this plug and a bad connection here usually results in limp mode... clean it with MAF cleaner and then use dielectric grease upon reassembly...
then check the the throttle pedal itself... they can and do go bad on the electronic throttle IONs, usually results in a code but I don’t remember which one...