Throttle Assembly - Throttle Sensor

2003 CR-V EX-L 184000km (Appx 114000 miles)

I recently had a problem with my engine light coming on. The problem
was diagnosed as the Throttle Sensor and I was told that the entire
Throttle Body Assembly needed to be replaced at a cost of $1100 CDN.

In the meantime, I found a Service Bulliten, on line, which stated
that the Throttle Assembly could be defective on the 2003 CR-Vs and
would be replaced at no cost, if the vehicle was within warranty (my
warranty ended at 160000km, but I was told, by my dealer, that the
warranty on the Throttle Assembly is 60000km). Personally, I don't
see why a warranty period should make a difference if they put a
defective part on my car ?!?!?
I had an extended conversation with Honda Canada and they agreed to
lower the cost... it ended up costing me appx. $800 CDN.

When I took the old part home, I clearly saw that the Throttle Sensor
has its own assembly... removable by two bolts.

I don't understand why they could not just replace the Throttle
Sensor ?!?!?

I am upset with Honda right now and I have to add that, based on the
problems I was having with my car...

.... I truly believe that the problem with the accelerating Toyotas IS
a Throttle Sensor issue... IT IS electrical...

And I believe that Honda, and most other car makers, have this
problem, as well...

My 2 cents...

Regards...

 

That's just the way it works.

Nothing's perfect in this world, and automakers can't warrant stuff
forever. You bear some of the responsibility for having voluntary
possession and use of a product in the first place.

Good for you! That's what everybody needs to do. Honda and Toyota are
usually pretty reasonable about these things. Talk to the people who
ended up with those dud Honda automatic transmissions.

You want a contrast to your experience? The GM 3800 V6's with the intake
manifold coolant leak that destroys engines. GM won't even talk to
owners about that, or bother to change the design. It was up to the
aftermarket to come up with a fix for GM's persistently defective parts.

Because the Throttle Position Sensor and its throttle body are
calibrated together; they're hand-fitted to each other with the use of
sophisticated measuring equipment. Break them apart and you've lost the
calibration forever.

You may "truly believe" this, but nobody else except the conspiracy
theorists and the lynch mob believes it.

Your throttle body was one of many thousands that were manufactured with
a defect that results in the internal rheostat getting contaminated.
Toyota's problems are in the mechanical portion of some gas pedal
assemblies. That and unsecured floor mats.

 

My local Honda dealer (Phoenix) will dicker on service prices. First
get Honda's price. Then call around to other shops and get their
price. Then call Honda back and tell them the lowest price you were
quoted. Often they will match it. Honda's price matching is not
advertised, and probably depends on how much they need the business,
but I know several people who have been successful at it. Nothing
ventured nothing gained...

 

You're not comparing Honda service prices, you're comparing DEALER service
pricing.

Dealers are NOT "Honda". Honda makes no money at all from dealer servicing;
cash from dealer servicing goes to the company that owns the dealership.

Honda makes their money from two things only:
1) selling new cars to the dealers, and
2) selling new parts to those same dealers.
Any cash generated after that goes directly to the dealership's owner(s).

In the case of the OP, Honda Canada probably agreed to provide the part at
a big discount if the OP paid the dealership for its labor. The details
will be shown on the invoice.

 

Well duh. Re-read my first sentence about my local Honda DEALER
service prices.

Not sure what this has to do with my dealer dickering comment but your
statement seems a bit contradictive. When Honda makes money selling
parts to dealer service departments, it *is* making money from dealer
servicing.

Yes dickering is good (no matter who you do it with).

 

the problem is not replacement, but getting a new one. dealers don't
sell them. but i have seen new throttle position sensors available at
"2ner" sites like:
http://www.jhpusa.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=375

but as tegger says, then the problem is re-calibration.

how do you do that? with a tool like this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38636024@N00/4352880344/

1. connect tool in series with existing sensor and connector and turn on
ignition [but do not start motor].
2. read the voltage between the wiper and each end of the potentiometer
[sensor] on both full closed and full open positions.
3. repeat two more times to be sure.
4. remove old sensor and fit new one, but don't snug up the bolts.
5. rotate sensor until readings are identical to #2.
6, snug bolts, remove tool and enjoy.

you will need to be careful on step 4 - the tps is fitted with shear
head bolts. you can rotate them out with a chisel if you know what
you're doing. [you can even do this without taking the throttle body
off the car!] or, if you've removed the t.b., use a left handed drill bit.

use ordinary m5x16 allen socket head screws to replace. ~$1 at o.s.h.

 

Appreciate your comments, folks.

 

But then you said:
"Then call Honda back..."
"Honda's price matching..."

You will never deal with Honda during any sort of servicing.

 

I think everyone with an IQ above 10 (even you) knew that I was
referring to Honda dealerships throughout that paragraph.

By "Honda" do you mean Honda F.C. (a Japanese soccer club) or Honda
Motor Co. LTD of Tokyo, Japan? You need to be more specific. I know
what you mean but there are those here who like to knit pick...

 

Your terminology was still wrong. You could have said, "Then call the
dealer back," but you didn't; you specifically said "Honda".

I will grant you the benefit of the doubt, though, and consider that you
meant to say "dealer".

Does Honda F.C. make cars? I'd make an IQ-related statement here, but
decorum prevents me from doing so.

I mean the regional Honda subsidiary in your country. These, like
dealers, are independent companies. But these, unlike dealers, are
wholly owned by Honda Motor Co. Ltd. of Tokyo.

For the US, I mean American Honda Motor Co., Ltd. For Canada, I mean
Honda Canada, Inc. And so on around the world...

To summarize: Honda Motor owns the regional subsidiaries. The regional
subsidiaries lease or sell Honda-brand franchises to corporations within
their respective countries. Those corporations are owned by members of
your community, and often display the name of their owner on their
signage, such as "Bill Kay Honda".

My mother likes to knit. She makes nice sweaters.

I think you mean "nit picking". "Nit" refers to body or head lice, which
are tiny and numerous, and require detailed attention when eradicating
from their host. Or am I just being nit-picky?

 

114k miles?

If it was a horse you'd shoot it ;-)

Appreciate your comments, folks.

 

Whoa. That's big of you. Apology accepted.

Writing a couple of paragraphs about my misspelling one word? You
proved my point nicely didn't you.

(Boy it's a good thing that I use a spell checker or your post would
have taken an hour to read...)

You have the last word on this silliness...