2011 Focus manual xmn - engine overrevs while shifting

2011 Focus 2.0L L4 engine, manual transmission, 70K miles - when up-shifting gears, the throttle remains high, dropping v-e-r-y slowly instead of dropping rapidly when the throttle is released. It is the same when not moving, when the throttle is run up to steady RPM’s, then the pedal is released, the RPM’s drop slowly. This has started recently, at first I thought it was just ‘operator error’, and that our shifting skills were deteriorating with age (ours, not the car), but testing has proven the fault lies with the vehicle. I researched sticking throttle issues, and thought I had located the problem as a bad throttle body assembly. Changed it out with a new one, went thru the computer reset procedure,and the problem still exists. No error codes are showing, but the little yellow wrench light is lit on the dash (resets each startup. Vehicle drives fine otherwise, no loss of power, etc. Any suggestions?

Sticky “Idle Air Control” IAC.

Locate the IAC and rev the engine and when you release the throttle tap on the IAC with a screwdriver. If the idle drops as it should or better than it has been, then you need a new IAC,

removing it and cleaning it with carb cleaner may do it too.

Yosemite

Classic sticky IAC. Yosemite hit the nail right on the head.

This vehicle has an electronic throttle body, so there is no IAC valve.

https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=3763593&cc=1446853&jnid=510&jpid=0

The idle is controlled by the throttle body itself.

You might check and see if the throttle pedal position sensor is defective.

https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php

Tester

@Tester; My mistake…good catch.

As oddball (Donald Sutherland) said in Kelly’s hero’s “always with the negative vibes”. :smile:

Yosemite

Actually, the line was, “always with the negative waves.”

Tester

Thanks for the quick responses (and clarification) I was going down the IAC path myself, but was unable to find enough info on it re my vehicle year - No wonder I haven’t been able to locate it on my engine!
Since I have changed the throttle body, I guess I’m looking at the throttle pedal position sensor next…

Just to note - there are no error codes set when this 'wrench" light displays, even checked while driving to produce the problem - no error codes. So, what does the wrench symbol alone help diagnose?
Engine rpm’s do not ‘hang’ as much when RPM run up in garage - hanging appears quite a bit worse while driving - 5-10 seconds before it returns to lower rpm’s.

The wrench symbol indicates there is a problem with the electronic throttle control.

Throttle control/transmission:
Illuminates when a powertrain fault
has been detected. Contact your
authorized dealer as soon as
possible.

If your diagnostic equipment only reads “P” codes you may not have access to the ETC section of the PCM. A professional scan tool may be necessary.

If you installed a “new” throttle body it should have included the throttle position sensor. There is an accelerator position sensor involved but I would want to check the inputs with a scan tool, also rule out calibration issues.

Thank’s for the clip @Tester. I was close …great movie too.

Yosemite

Dang! Guess I’ve got to deal with a ‘professional’ to diagnose this one. I’ll let you all know what I find out…