Throttle Position Sensor: Testing and Inspection

Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) Testing:

NOTE: A Digital Volt-Ohm Meter (DVOM) is required to test this sensor.

1. The center terminal of the TPS electrical connector is the output terminal of the sensor.
2. Turn the ignition switch to the ON position, and probe your DVOM into the back-side of the TPS electrical connector. Place the red lead into the center terminal of the electrical connector, and connect the black lead to a suitable ground location.
3. Check the output voltage when the TPS is in the idle position (throttle plate closed). The output voltage should be greater than 200 millivolts.
4. Check the output voltage when the TPS is in the wide open throttle (WOT) position. The output voltage must be less than 4.8 volts.
5. The output voltage should increase gradually when the throttle plate is slowly opened from idle to wide open throttle.
6. If the output voltages are not within the previous specifications, the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) needs to be replaced.