Lose all acceleration after 3000 rpms

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

I have a 2004 saturn vue. It is a 5 speed standard with a 4 cylinder engine. Now that I have that posted here is my problem. I have normal acceleration up until I hit 3000 rpms. At that point my low engine power light comes on and I lose acceleration. To explain that better, if I take my foot off the gas pedal completely and then try accelerate again nothing happens. My engine stays on but I do not have any reaction when I push on the gas pedal. When I run the computer codes it says it could be my accelerator pedal sensor or my ecm. Any thoughts? I do not want to have to replace the ecm if I have to due to how expensive it is.

2

More than likely the problem is with the accelerator pedal position sensor.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1515678&cc=1428746&jsn=326

Even RockAuto sells them.

Tester

3

That would make my engine sound like it had little to no power? It also feels like it has no power. It struggles to accelerate after I hit 3k rpms. Sorry if I ask alot of questions. I don’t know much about cars.

4

Also if it was the ecm, wouldn’t it be having more problems then just the acceleration?

5

Ever change the timing chain and guides? Maybe ur motor is approaching the end? At least u don’t have the bad cvt trans.

6

It’s actually a rebuilt motor. It has only about 100k miles on the motor

7

It was rebuilt 100k miles ago? So it’s worn now

1 Like
8

The throttle position sensor (or accel pedal sensor, if that’s the case) isn’t part of the ecm, it’s a separate gadget that the ecm senses via a wire from it to the ecm .

Note that just b/c you have a code for that sensor, that doesn’t mean this problem is necessary caused for that reason. Those position sensors can usually be bench tested fairly easily, might be a good idea to ask a shop to do that.

fyi, at higher rpms and higher engine loads problems can show up that don’t show up at lower rpms and engine loads, for example

  • exhaust restriction
  • fuel delivery problem
  • valve/camshaft problems
  • ignition system problems
9

MAP/MAF problems can cause this symptom too. But they’d usually throw a code.