Car sometimes give me acceleration and power issues. Engine power reduced message and engine light appear intermittently.
I sometimes experience sluggish acceleration followed by what feels like the car bucking and then "engine power reduced" message appears on the dashboard along with a solid check engine light. The car then feels like it's going to stall so I immediately pull it to the side of the road and turn it off. About five minutes later I turn it on and it drives fine but the engine light stays on. Apparently though, the engine light eventually goes away after a handful of ignition rotations and I can't seem to figure out why this keeps happening.
The first time I took it to my persona
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
It is possible that your vehicle’s PCM has failed. This is somewhat of a common problem amongst many GM vehicles. If the computer has failed, this could be one of the reasons that no trouble codes are appearing and the fact that the problem is intermittent. It is possible that the computer is somehow getting overheated and by stopping the vehicle for a short period of time, the PCM cools down allowing the vehicle to run again. I would recommend having your PCM tested for proper function by a certified technician with experience in computer diagnostics.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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Faulty Throttle Body: A throttle body is part of the of the air intake system which helps control the amount of air going into the engine. If a throttle body is failing the engine will not get the correct mixture of air and fuel. This can trigger the Reduced Power light as well as lead to a poor running engine.
Fuel injector nozzles can become clogged over time, which can lead to a sputtering engine, slow acceleration and the car not having enough power. Fuel injectors can be cleaned if the problem is caught early, but as the conditions worsens, the injectors may have to be replaced.
Faulty throttle and pedal position sensor
Any problem within the TAC system can cause the reduced engine power warning light to go on. One of the more common reasons includes one or both APP sensors in the accelerator pedal or the pair of TP sensors.
An engine that is hesitating to accelerate is most likely dealing with a fuel/air mixture that is too lean. Engine`s that are running inefficiently will begin to show signs like hesitation which will only become worse over time.
The most common reason why the “engine power reduced” message appears for Chevy Equinox SUVs is because of a dirty throttle body. Usually, there are some signs that your car has a dirty throttle body. To avoid getting this troublesome message, keep a lookout for the following red flags: Reduced fuel economy.
Shut off the engine, wait 10 seconds, then restart the vehicle to see if this resets the reduced engine power light—but this will only work if it`s a signal error. Avoid driving your vehicle when the reduced engine power light is on—instead, identify and repair the underlying problem that`s causing the warning light.
There are a range of reasons why your car is juddering when you accelerate. Your vehicle could have dirty fuel injectors, a damaged fuel pump, a blocked catalytic converter, a faulty mass airflow sensor, broken spark plugs, or even an accumulation of moisture.
A clogged fuel or air filter can make your engine sputter and your acceleration lag because the engine is not getting enough fuel or air, respectively. The combustion chamber needs the correct amount of air and fuel in order to generate combustion efficiently.
The oxygen sensor problem is the number one reason cars are slow to accelerate. The oxygen sensor is responsible for monitoring the air-to-fuel ratio in the engine, and over time it can become dirty or damaged, which will decrease power. Oxygen sensor malfunction will result in a mixture being too lean.
If your car is not accelerating, the first thing to check is the air filter. The air provided to the engine for the combustion process passes through an air filter, which catches all the impurities and debris present in the air. With continuous usage, the air filter gets clogged and doesn`t let air pass through it.
Why is my car sluggish all of a sudden? If your car feels sluggish, check your fuel pump, oxygen sensor, and spark plugs. These are common causes of a car feeling sluggish. A clogged air filter, dirty fuel injectors, or a bad catalytic converter can also cause your car to feel sluggish all of a sudden.
Throttle body issues
If it malfunctions or gets clogged, it can cause the “Reduced Engine Power” light to come on. Symptoms of a faulty throttle body include hesitation, rough idling, and poor acceleration.
Sounds like your Cobalt has gone in to “Limp Mode.” When the OBD detects a fault, certain faults anywhere in the drive train including the transmission it goes in to Limp Mode and reduces engine power, CEL come on and it lets you get to a safe place but with reduced power to prevent further damage.
A misfiring engine means the spark plug wires are not firing properly. This causes many problems, like increased exhaust emissions, reduced fuel economy, and reduced engine power.
Reduced Engine Power signifies that the car has lost some power and isn`t performing as it should. Common cause include reduced flow of fuel and/or air to the engine, clogged catalytic converter, problem with the air intake, or a dirty mass airflow sensor.
If you are experiencing jerks in your car when accelerating, it might be due to a few reasons. The first reason is that the throttle pedal is not positioned correctly. The second is a result of the throttle cable being too tight or too loose.
When you press down the accelerator pedal and get minimal output, it could mean you have a problem with your fuel system. The most probable issue is a clogged fuel filter. Your fuel filter works to ensure that dirt and debris do not get into the fuel system.
The accelerator pedal sensor (APS) indicates the position of the accelerator on vehicle models with electronic throttle control. The APS is basically a throttle position sensor (TPS) with a pedal attached.
(1) An accelerometer is an electromechanical sensor that measures static and/or dynamic acceleration forces acting upon an object by measuring the acceleration (the rate of change of velocity) along one, two, or three axes.
The accelerator pedal sensor transmits the position of the accelerator pedal to the engine control unit.
if the map sensor starts to fail, these are some of the most common symptoms: 1. your engine accelerates poorly: if a map sensor fails, it can cause the engine`s computer to miscalculate the amount of fuel and ignition timing needed for proper engine performance. this will cause the engine to run poorly and lose power.
The most typical causes of a car not accelerating while driving include a faulty sensor, contaminated fuel or air filters, or a faulty timing belt. Generally, this isn`t something you should ignore.
Among the symptoms of a bad catalytic converter are: Sluggish engine performance. Reduced acceleration.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Car sometimes give me acceleration and power issues. Engine power reduced message and engine light appear intermittently.
ANSWER : It is possible that your vehicle’s PCM has failed. This is somewhat of a common problem amongst many GM vehicles. If the computer has failed, this could be one of the reasons that no trouble codes are appearing and the fact that the problem is intermittent. It is possible that the computer is somehow getting overheated and by stopping the vehicle for a short period of time, the PCM cools down allowing the vehicle to run again. I would recommend having your PCM tested for proper function by a certified technician with experience in computer diagnostics.
2012 equinox reduced power light engine light and traction light came on. Lost a lot of power got home and all light except engine
ANSWER : Your car has what is called a "safe mode" that will be engaged by the computer when it detects that something critical has gone wrong related to any of the major components in your engine chassis or power train. This may be related to a number of things, most of which should have been registered in the computer when the check engine light came on. I recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your check engine light and diagnose any codes registered by your vehicle’s computer.
My car is having power issues. I get a message that says engine power reduced/ service traction along with headlights flickering and engine cutting out.
ANSWER : Hi there. Check the battery and alternator to the vehicle. With all of the electrical issues that you are having, it sounds as if the battery is not charged and making the engine stall out due to lack power. Check the battery for a 12.6 volt reference and load test the battery. If the battery fails, then replace the battery. If the battery passes, then check the alternator and see if its putting out the full amount of amps. If you need further assistance with electrical issues, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
Reduce engine power / check engine light is on
ANSWER : Hi there. Most of the time, reduced engine power is caused by a restriction of fuel, or the throttle body’s inability to efficiently mix air and fuel. This could be caused by a failing mass air flow sensor, EGR valve or other fuel system components. Since the check engine light is on, you should have a professional mechanic complete an inspection at your location to determine what codes are stored and which components require repair. This should resolve your issue.
Engine light is on and sometimes the power in the engine reduces
ANSWER : I believe that the speedometer needle going up as the car is started is a factory feature that was added by Chevrolet on purpose. As for the acceleration issue, I would recommend having the vehicle scanned for trouble codes with an OBD-2 scanner. This will inform you of the malfunction that the PCM is reporting and can help lead you in the right direction towards locating the failed part. Once the part failure has been determined, the replacement procedure will be more clear to the technician performing the service. I don’t recommend following through with any repairs unless the technician makes a clear reading and diagnosis of the Check Engine code.
Reduced engine power and car shuts off
ANSWER : Hi there. If there is carbon build up on the valves in the engine then that can cause a rough running condition and even a check engine light but that will not usually cause the vehicle to stall. It sounds like you have another issue going on here. From my experience with this vehicle most of the time this is caused by a voltage issue. Most of the time it is a loose or dirty ground connection or an issue with the ignition switch. I usually start by scanning the computer for codes to see what is coming up as that can assist in finding the issue. If the codes do not help then the electrical system would need to be diagnosed to see where the power is being lost. If you need to have this looked at, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to you to [diagnose why the check engine light is on and why the vehicle is stalling] https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/car-is-stalling-inspection
Engine malfunction light, reduced engine power, engine powered down
ANSWER : Hi there. There are a lot of things that can cause this on your 2012 BMW M5. I usually start by scanning the computer for codes to see what comes up. If there are not codes then I load test the alternator and the battery to see if they are failing. Low voltage in the electrical system will cause this. If that is fine, then it is usually caused by a failing throttle body. I have seen a lot of these fail due to the motors in them hanging up. If the problem is only happening intermittently, this can make the issue hard to duplicate, but you can still have tests done on the car. If you are going to have this fixed, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to test the vehicle and diagnose the Engine Malfunction Light.
The engine of the car runs, but when I push the gas pedal it does not accelerate, and the engine does not rev.
ANSWER : Hello. It sounds like you may have an issue with your throttle position sensor. This sensor sends a reference voltage to your power-train control module, which uses that to determine ignition timing and fuel trims. If the power-train control module is not detecting the proper signal from the throttle position sensor, the engine may not accelerate properly. It’s probably a good idea for you to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location and complete a car is slow to accelerate inspection first, so they can pinpoint what is causing this issue to occur and they will recommend the right repairs be completed.
