Electronic throttle control...

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JTK

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To those that own vehicles with throttle by wire, do you like or hate it? I've owned 2, a 2002 isuzu rodeo 3.2 and currently a 2005 trailblazer 4.2L. Ironically, both trucks share the same GM/delphi TBW. On the rodeo it wasn't too bad in that the throttle coresponded pretty much exactly with the go pedal. It's different on the trailblazer being very much software controlled. For instance, flooring the gas pedal wont give you WOT until higher RPM ranges. FWIU, this is GM's 'torque management' system. Some of the management revolves around safety, such that the engine wont rev past ~3K while in park. You never really have 100% control over the throttle with such a vehicle. It's nice in that it protects the drivetrain, but I dont see any benefit other than that.
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I don't like it!

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Joel
 
My '01 A4 was a DBW, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed with it. Off the line, it would introduce some annoying delays at times.
 
My 05 Corolla has it and I like it.

The Cruise control is the best I've ever had and you can not tell it was not a "normal" pedal.

Take care, Bill
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My 1999 Volkswagen Golf TDI has it and it seems to work perfectly. It's noticeable when you try to push the gas pedal(diesel pedal?) and the brake at the same time because it will not let the engine rev.

It makes heel/toe driving impossible too. You can't blip the throttle while you're gently pressing the brake pedal during spirited driving.
 
The 93-95 Mercedes vehicles have electronic throttle actuators (ETA) that were made with biodegradable insulation on the wiring. The germans wanted to make their cars a little more "earth-friendly". The problem is that the heat of the engine prematurely disintegrates the insulation, causing shorts, while the car is still in service and on the road. There's a whole mini-generation of Mercedes owners that need to replace their ETAs and engine wiring harness out of warranty.

ETA replacement ~ $1500
Engine wiring harness replacement ~ $1500
 
A friend had a 98 C230 and his drive-by-wire malfunctioned regularly....if you gave it full throttle, it would acclerate briskly..but only ONCE. From then on, any amount of pedal yielded very slow acceleration...so slow that it won't climb a moderately hilly driveway. Major safety hazard.

My Mazda 3 5-speed had it, and the throttle seemed very disproportionate to the amount of pedal I gave it. I either bogged it down, or lit up the tires from a standing stop and no amount of practice or concentration fixed it. My Frontier 5-speed automatic has it, but it seems proportionate, except from a standing start with a floored throttle. I KNOW that engine has enough torque to smoke the tires from a standstill, but I get only a chirp.

Overall, I don't see a big advantage or purpose for it, other than preventing drivetrain abuse.
 
My '05 Buick Terraza 3.5L has it and you'd never know. Throttle response is perfectly normal at all times and I've never felt that it was a hindrance.

One advantage that I can see that hasn't been mentioned is that it offers greater power management for the ABS and stability control systems. In other words, if the stability control kicks in because I'm about to spin out, the computer has complete control over the throttle and, therefore, the power output of the engine. Without throttle-by-wire, that's not completely true since it has to work around the throttle input the driver is demanding. This would theoretically offer better occupant safety and crash avoidance.
 
I always say a little prayer that they have included software to prevent uncommanded WOT. I got a look at the gas-pedal end of the system in my Frontier...normal looking gas pedal with a plastic box covering the pivot point, and two wires coming out that disappear into the wiring harness. Hope that baby doesn't short out someday and send me into a guardrail.
 
'06 Mz3iT w/ATX. No problems noted. But the way I drive I often get passed by hunched over geriatric drivers with their wrap around cataract sunglasses. Zoom zoom.
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As an official member of the crotchety old coot club, sans fedora and hunched-over-the-steering-wheel features, I am not bothered by the 2004 Silverado's electronically controlled go-pedal function.

Generally, with obvious exceptions, I believe that an electronic-type accelerator/decelerator system MAY be less prone to long-term wear and tear than a mechanically connected go-pedal to the intake system.

Time will tell if the electronic system is as or more reliable than the mechanical linkage style.

Since I drive like grandpa, except for those annoying habits of holding up traffic, being so cautious that I actually create a hazard, etc. the lack of "immediacy" when pressing or non-pressing the go-pedal does not hinder my lifestyle.

The Eagles sang of "Life in the Fast Lane." They weren't singing about me.

Calm and collected, looking cool on my stool, neat on my seat, that's my style.
 
quote:

Originally posted by 9296D21B14:
..the way I drive I often get passed by hunched over geriatric drivers with their wrap around cataract sunglasses. Zoom zoom.
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LMAO!
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With GM's software, you'd never know the 2006+ vortec 4.2L had 291hp & 277ft-lbs of torque- atleast on take off. Once you get up to speed they kick in. Passing is no prob as is towing. Good side is, I suppose TBW will keep your kids from brake torquing and neutral dropping!
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Joel
 
The wife's 2004 Jaguar Xj8 has an electronic throttle, and I am not that crazy about it.

Clearly it allows the stability control computers (the car has a complex stability control system) more control over the car, and it allows them to implement torque management, but the six speed tranny has such a low first gear I always seem to make rocket starts because I don't get the feedback from the pedal that I am used to.

Maybe if I drove the car all the time and got used to it, I would like it more, but, for now, I like the feedback of a cable operated throttle.

I know a lot of the guys with the LS2 GTO's complain about all the torque management GM implemented through the electronic throttle. My LS1 GTO doesn't suffer from that
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As a new Envoy owner, I like it, with one exception. The cruise is driving both me and the better 3/4 nuts. On level ground, to moderate hills all is well. Come across a greater incline, and the cruise will dial in so much throttle that the converter unlocks, and it kicks into 2nd gear, while running to 5500 RPM. Same happens if resume is hit with a greater than 15 mph difference between current and set speeds. The dealership has reflashed both the cruise module and PCM with the latest firmware, so we'll see what happens when we go to Grandma's house over the weekend. Besides this issue (and it is an issue.. dang near scared the scat out of both me and my wife, and ruins fuel economy) the drive by wire is seamless, and smooth.
 
My 2002 Camaro's fly by wire is great. I have a throttle body spacer on it so it runs cool and should live a nice long life under the hood. Mine lets me burn rubber with full authority
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