Car intermittently stalls in first gear

2007 SATURN ION
40,000 MILES • 2.2L • 2WD • MANUAL
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EKRUBMEG
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Intermittent loss of power in first gear. I start the car and at some point early on I get an alarm and the problem persists until I shut it off for a while. It has been in the shop five times in an effort to find this. The throttle control has been replaced as was the computer. After the computer was replaced it failed two more times than went approximately 2,000 miles before it started up again.
I started the car and pulled out into the street and it was not until I had gone several hundred feet that the alarm came in. I opted not to pull into the busy street but driving the back streets playing with the problem. It does not fail instantly, the car starts forward like it should for half a second than it stalls. It seems the more the throttle is pressed the worse the hesitation. Giving it lots of throttle like when trying to scoot across a busy intersection means after the initial start, it shuts off to an idle. The engine does not shut off, just zero acceleration. I worked this over and over, tried giving it gas and starting out at a higher engine speed but it still hesitates. Seemingly if the throttle is not pressed very much, it does not hesitate as much. Only happens in first gear. I can shift into second gear in the middle of an hesitation and it takes off like it should in too high a gear.
Jun 15, 2018 at 4:49 PM
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HARRY P
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For some reason or another, your traction control is kicking in and ruining the throttle response. When it is acting up, you probably see a triangular orange/yellow light with an exclamation mark in it on the dash. That light goes off, and the car goes. When you drop it into a low gear selection, that disables traction control, as does putting it in reverse. Have someone with a nicer tech2 scanner check the ABS/traction control module for trouble codes. It is possible that a bad wheel speed sensor is causing this to happen, in which case you might get a fault code stored. If there is no fault codes in it, then driving the car with the scanner plugged in and live data mode running, they should be able to monitor the individual wheel speed sensor readings, and look for one that is way out of whack.
Jun 15, 2018 at 8:15 PM
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EKRUBMEG
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I will pass it along, I take it in next week. I get the 'check engine' usually shortly after the car starts, I do not have to move an inch. Code P2138, throttle position. We replaced the throttle. It works better but this problem is still there. I only see the ABS indicator briefly when I turn the ignition on. I do not have traction control and unless the ABS can turn off the engine I do not see how this can be a solution. Thanks though, I think it will be something wild when we do find it, if we ever do.
Jun 18, 2018 at 4:16 PM
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HARRY P
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Check out this service bulletin: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2015/SB-10028831-8729.pdf
Jun 18, 2018 at 7:42 PM
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EKRUBMEG
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Thanks, I do not think it is a defective indicator, it stalls when I need it most, believe me, the pucker factor is high in the middle of an intersection when the engine stalls out, it does not shut off, the throttle drops to zero. The indicator is right on, at least it tells me in advance it is going to fail and at least the last number of times, it tells me very shortly after is start the engine. I have driven it a few miles with the alarm on and the problem does not go away. The last time, I tested it on a few local streets than parked it and a short time later the alarm is gone and it works fine.
Jun 25, 2018 at 7:41 AM
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LOU P
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Lou here, can you tell me the “indicator” you see coming on? Or the “alarm”? I was reading over the story and its not clear what you are seeing on the dash. Also will this happen as well in reverse? What about in neutral how does the engine rev?
Jun 25, 2018 at 4:14 PM
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PATENTED_REPAIR_PRO
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A tps code doesn't always mean it's the sensor that is bad, it could be a wire. The P2138 trouble code indicates that the Engine Control Module has detected a malfunction within the D and/or E circuits of the throttle position sensor.
Jun 25, 2018 at 5:04 PM
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EKRUBMEG
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Thanks, I copied your answer. If they do not find anything at the shop, I will have to research this myself and find exactly what you are talking about and see if I can figure it out myself. At the very least get a little more educated about this aspect.
Jun 25, 2018 at 8:29 PM
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AL514
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Does this car have a accelerator pedal position sensor? Drive by wire system. I just had a problem like this, APP sensor was bad causing all these symptoms.
Jun 26, 2018 at 9:24 AM
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STRAILER
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I have seen a dirty throttle body cause this issue. You said you replace the throttle control. I an assuming it was the pedal position sensor?

Here is a guide that can help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/throttle-actuator-service

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken
Jun 26, 2018 at 11:06 AM