06 Chrysler 300 Throttle Response Issue

Hi all,

I was hoping someone could comment on this with some past 3.5L experience. I just pruchased a 2006 Chrysler 300 Touring 3.5L Fwd (20,000 miles). The pedal feels smooth with no hang ups, it just is sluggish. Since I have had it I have had a problem with the throttle response. It seems like the throttle response is sluggish enough that when the throttle is applied it delays then takes off like crazy almost making it appear that I am trying to peel out everytime. I find this not only inconvienient but possibly dangerous during the winter months. Has anyone heard of this before and if so is there sometype of re-programming they can do at the dealer?

I am scheduled to take it in for this issue Monday but I can tell already they think I am nuts and am sure they will tell me no problem found.

Please help.

Thanks,

Brian

 

Some newer cars no longer have a throttle cable, so there really is nothing mechanical to prevent you from having that smooth feeling. Not sure about your car; if if it's one of the cable-less ones, what your gas pedal is actually operating is a rheostat which electrically moves the throttle vice doing it mechanically. Yours would be a bit young for any problems, but I think your syptoms might be the results of a problem in this electronic throttle syste.

 

Could be a dirty throttle body (I'm sure they'll be happy to clean that for you for a couple of hundred bucks).

I had a similar issue with an SUV, they kept saying "ohhh the throttles dirty" or "that's just the way these drive". Mine was more of a stiff gas pedal off idle though. Smoothed out after the 1st inch of pedal movement. Quite a while later, I found the throttle cable was slightly frayed inside the sheath, up hear the throttle plate, causing it to "hang up". New cable (of a diff design) fixed it right up. Prob not your issue, but who knows?

You may have a "drive by wire" throttle, no mechanical connection. That would probably complicate things.

Hope yer under some sort of warranty?

I'm sure some of the Mopar guys will be in later.

 

Youre vehicle does not have a throttle cable. The throttle is all electronic. There is a pedal position sensor and a throttle position sensor that work together to operate the throttle. There is a certain amount of delay in the response due to this design. It should not be as much as you are describing. The tell-tale signs there there is something wrong with your electronic throttle body is the check engine light will likely come on, but there is another indicator specifically for a throttle body issue. This indicator has a lightning bolt across the center of it and it will either illuminate or flash in the event of a fault. If there are no indicators then it is quite possible that there is no fault.
You should have some warranty left under the 3/36 basic warranty
Hope this helps ya,
Billy

 

Thanks all who replied. I took it into the dealer and they found a PCM engine update and they said they reset user performance preferences. Something about the car learning how you drive. Anyways, its fixed, I can actually take off like a normal driver.

Thanks again,

Brian

 

So...the last owner drove it like a hot rod all the time...lol.

 

Do you or does anyone know why they masterminded yet more complexity, where yet more sensors have to be diagnosed/people have to take car into shop? What was wrong with cable?

 

No..exactly the opposite....It was probably grandma'd all its life....

The "drive by wire" eliminated the need for a mechanical connection in an already crowded engine bay. It isnt as complex as it sounds, and it gives the computer more control over throttle position calculations. It actually works well in most cases.

 

bculli05- glad you got your problem fixed. I have a '05 300C and have s similar issue. Traveled all week and when I got back to the airport my car was completely dead. Jumpstarts didn't give enough juice and when I finally got a real cable jump and got goin the lightning rod alert was on my dash. The throttle on the ride home seemed to jerk a little and last night my car would start then shut off -this morning its starting fine but the light is still flashing when running which the owners manual says to take to get it serviced. I'm hoping it will just take a reset like yours to fix it- Just curious what they charged ya for it? Thanks!

 

These sensors allow for more control by the computers in the event of an emergency. The ABS and the related sensors can relay information to the PCM which controls the throttle position sensors and can disable the throttle actuation in the event of an ABS stop. It is supposed to make things easier. It is sometimes complicated and diagnosis is not always simple, but it does work.
Hope this helps ya,
Billy