1999 Chrysler Concorde Throttle position sensor or starter?

Tiny
SPAMBER44
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 CHRYSLER CONCORDE
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 105,500 MILES
I have a 1999 Chrysler Concorde LE. It doesn't always start, it idles en-evenly, and it doesn't seem to have a "passing" gear. A diagnostic machine told me it needs a new throttle position sensor; no other problems showed up. My mechanic, however, is convinced I need a new starter as well. Should I have him change them both, even though the diagnostic machine said nothing of starter issues? Or should I just have him start with what I KNOW for sure is wrong (TPS)? How can I tell the difference between TPS problems and starter problems? Also, could any of these things be related to the remote-starter?
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 AT 11:31 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
HI there,

Do the TPI first, if the starter is a problem, it will be with cranking over only, so if it cranks strongly but wont fire do the TPI, if the is an issue with the cranking, have the starter check out.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 AT 11:53 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 34,330 POSTS
You're going to have to give some hint of a clue as to what the symptoms are. The starter motor is not monitored by any computer on the car so no diagnostic machine will ever tell you it needs to be replaced. If the engine cranks, the starter is working, whether the engine starts or not.

The throttle position sensor is one of many things the transmission computer looks at when deciding when to downshift and upshift. Usually, the sensor will "default" to an out-of-range value when it has an intermittent connection. That will be detected by the engine computer which will likely turn on the "Check Engine" light on the dash. Whenever that light is on, and sometimes even when the light is off, a diagnostic fault code is memorized in the computer. That is what the mechanic is reading with his equipment.

Caradiodoc
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Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 AT 11:54 PM

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