04 Thunderbird TPS codes?

Rent Free

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Jan 26, 2015
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Ok so heres the deal with this Thunderbird I got. My grandpa passed away in Nov and right before that in Oct last year he gave it to me.

I had to have it hauled home from Texas and it sat at my uncles all winter.

I got it home last weekend and its got a few codes that wont go away.

p2104
p2106
p2111
p2135

2104

P2104 is an OBD-II generic code for the engine control module (ECM) detecting a major failure in the throttle actuator control (TAC) system causing the ECM to go into failure mode forced idle and limiting the engine to an idle RPM limit only. The throttle will not respond to any increase in throttle.

2106

P2106 is an OBD-II generic code for the engine control module (ECM) detecting a major failure in a system causing the ECM to go into failure mode and limiting the throttle actuator to limited power.

2111

In this case the code definition is fairly self explanatory. The throttle is stuck open. It’s important to understand that the PCM (Powertrain Control Module) uses a sensor to monitor the position of the throttle plate. The throttle plate may actually be working correctly but the sensor may have failed and would be reporting the incorrect posi(tion to the PCM.

2135

The Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) sensor is an input to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and used to determine the amount of torque requested by the operator. There are 2 pedal position signals in the sensor. Both signals, APP and APP2, have a positive slope (increasing angle, increasing voltage), but are offset and increase at different rates. The 2 pedal position signals make sure the PCM receives a correct input even if 1 signal has a concern. The PCM determines if a signal is incorrect by calculating where it should be, inferred from the other signals. If a concern is present with one of the circuits the other input is used. There are 2 reference voltage circuits, 2 signal return circuits, and 2 signal circuits (a total of 6 circuits and pins) between the PCM and the APP sensor assembly. The pedal position signal is converted to pedal travel degrees (rotary angle) by the PCM. The software converts these degrees to counts, which is the input to the torque based strategy. The PCM flagged a concern indicating that throttle position voltage PIDs TP1 and TP2 disagree by more than a calibrated limit.

I put a brand new battery in it and throttle position sensor on the manifold side.

Itll start and idle and codes come right back. Itll rev up and drive if its cold. Once it warms up gas pedal goes unresponsive and will not rev up.

Last night after I put a battery and tps sensor in I cruised around town for a bit (i live in a small town about 450 people.) then parked it in front of my garage and left it running. Went back about 20 min later to move it and I was gonna go wash it but the gas pedal was unresponsive but car was still idling.

:thinking: :dunno: I dont get it.

Gonna check gas pedal side TPS sensor tonight but I dont really want to throw a bunch of parts at it.

If I dont get it sorted out soon itll have to sit until after house is shingled and 2 post lift is in.

Thoughts? Ideas?
 

Dasfinc

Ready for the EVlution
Sep 28, 2007
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Was in the Hurricane but just the carport that was over it blew away house and driveway and RV and grandpas pickup all stayed dry.

House just needed shingles after Harvey went through Rockport.

Im worried about that ECM/PCM aswell.

Is this thing drive-by-wire?

If so; it would have been VERY VERY VERY early generation of it with Ford.

My 05 Mustang had a drive by wire TPS failure under warranty, and I recall it drove all kinds of funky.

Additionally; the 3.9 V8 in that and the Lincoln LS was a pretty terrible motor IIRC from a reliability and electronics standpoint, it was a Jaguar motor by design.

*Edit*

Confirmed, this was the second year of electronic throttle control in a ford application on Wikipedia.

Additionally, poking around online, it looks like the ECM was 100% unique for the Thunderbird, and it was unique year to year as well and out of production. Looks like replacement ECM's don't exactly grow on trees either if it is bad.

I'd start Coyote shopping.
 

Rent Free

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Jan 26, 2015
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Nowheresville North Dakota
Is this thing drive-by-wire?

If so; it would have been VERY VERY VERY early generation of it with Ford.

My 05 Mustang had a drive by wire TPS failure under warranty, and I recall it drove all kinds of funky.

Additionally; the 3.9 V8 in that and the Lincoln LS was a pretty terrible motor IIRC from a reliability and electronics standpoint, it was a Jaguar motor by design.

*Edit*

Confirmed, this was the second year of electronic throttle control in a ford application on Wikipedia.

Additionally, poking around online, it looks like the ECM was 100% unique for the Thunderbird, and it was unique year to year as well and out of production. Looks like replacement ECM's don't exactly grow on trees either if it is bad.

I'd start Coyote shopping.

its a 2004 3.9 Thunderbird yes.

I may end up fixing it and punting it and use funds for boooooooooost for my mustang. I dont need 2 money pits.

Who knows depends what it takes to sort out the issues here.
 

Rent Free

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Jan 26, 2015
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Nowheresville North Dakota
Well read up on these fault codes on some thunderbird forums. Apparently coils are very very very common so much so that Ford had lawsuits filed against them for sudden loss of power and decelleration. The forums even reported and people complained about the sames codes as mine for TPS and car still ran like ass after dealerships blamed the throttle body, throttle position sensor, and pedal sensor.

I ordered 8 new coil packs and plugs should be here friday so well see what happens with 8 new plugs and 8 new coils.

Blows my mind that car even idled at all. All the plugs were oil fouled pretty bad too.

Anyways for about $70 bucms worth of coils amd wires well see what happens after that.

At least this isnt a hail marry guess. Obviously them plugs and coils need to be replaced. 20180425_211502.jpg20180425_211509.jpg20180425_220734.jpg20180425_220838.jpg20180425_221149.jpg
 

Kensington

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Aug 14, 2017
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Did you need to take the valve covers off to do the coil/plugs?!

Also yeah those T-Bird's weren't known for their reliability...good luck...doesn't sound like it's going to be an easy go around with this thing. The Ford/Jaguar partnership of those days didn't really bring out the best in either manufacturer...
 

Rent Free

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Jan 26, 2015
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Nowheresville North Dakota
Did you need to take the valve covers off to do the coil/plugs?!

Also yeah those T-Bird's weren't known for their reliability...good luck...doesn't sound like it's going to be an easy go around with this thing. The Ford/Jaguar partnership of those days didn't really bring out the best in either manufacturer...

I didnt need to take the valve cover off to get the coils off just the passenger one i had to because the passenger rear was so corroded and stuck down in there i was worried I was going to break the plug off in the head.

I was really happy it came put in one piece.
 

Rent Free

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Jan 26, 2015
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Nowheresville North Dakota
you have to fix the problem before that light goes out. have you replaced the throttle body yet?

No unfortunately the more and more i read it sounds like it needs a throttle body or a pcm maybe both.

:fu:

Im going about this all wrong :roflpicard: i have an engine and trans for it........ how about a 2016 coyote and 6 speed auto out of my mustang!!??

Sounds like a good excuse to put a built engine and trans in the mustang instead LOL

I wish! Coyote swapped Thunderbird and built boosted Mustang would be killer.
 

Rent Free

TCG Elite Member
Jan 26, 2015
24,413
20,267
Nowheresville North Dakota
Sounds like u need an IDS ford scanner- laptop that scans the whole car and will tell u what is wrong with the car. U might want to have it towed to a ford dealer and release some stress and headaches.

I think its going to come to that I forsure do not want to hail marry throw parts at it. After how fucked them plugs and coils were I thought forsure that would take care of it. :fu:
 
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