Check Engine Light - P0123

  • I was just planning to finally join a trail ride, all tire and diff issues cleaned up, and now BlueJ throws me a check engine light. Last weekend the light came on, and shortly after the jeep stalled out while on the road. Using the ignition switch method, I obtained the code "P0123". Here's what I could find on this code:



    So what does this mean? Was the stall coincidental? I'm not sure if I want to drive it if it will continue stalling (losing power steering).

    Any thoughts? I'd love to be able to resolve this issue before the Sept 17 trail ride...

    (BTW, the check engince light on my Subaru came back on the same day... but with a different code)

  • Clear the code and see if it comes back. If it does, unplug the sensor and you can drive around with it, but it'll stall if the engine is cold and you stop too quick. If you've got an automatic trans it'll be ok, just won't lock the torque converter. I've probably replaced my TPS 10 times. They really don't like getting wet, especially the BWD brand that Pep Boys carries. The Duralast stuff from Autozone seem to last longer, but the bolts they include don't fit, so don't throw away the originals. They're around $45, but have a 2 year (autozone) or lifetime (pepboys) warranty


    I have a ScanGaugeII, which allows me to see the real-time output from the TPS. So, I know if mine is bad or not... It's a 1-99 reading, percentage of the throttle opening. Normally 1 at idle, but mine does have an occasional quick spike to 16, I think that's a voltage test from the computer.

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

  • OK, I bought a replacement part, and will try to install it over the weekend. (Where is it located in the 4.0?)

  • Its on the back side of the throttle body, directly in line with the butterfly valve. I believe you'll need a T20 socket for the two bolts. Make sure that the little gasket comes off when you remove the original one.

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

  • OK, so it took more than 10 minutes, but that was less about the complexity of the job than my mechanical skills. It also took an extra trip to Pep Boys for tools that weren't stripped or defective. So I put on the new TPS... and no good. I went to PB to have then clear the codes, and they couldn't. They said there were multiple codes but only P0123 came down, but they couldn't reset it. And I had the same hesitation and bucking while driving home. So it appears that it wasn't the TPS after all. Any other ideas?


  • OK, so it took more than 10 minutes, but that was less about the complexity of the job than my mechanical skills. It also took an extra trip to Pep Boys for tools that weren't stripped or defective. So I put on the new TPS... and no good. I went to PB to have then clear the codes, and they couldn't. They said there were multiple codes but only P0123 came down, but they couldn't reset it. And I had the same hesitation and bucking while driving home. So it appears that it wasn't the TPS after all. Any other ideas?


    Disconnect the battery, wait 30 mins and reconnect.


    It may run rough or even stall at first, but should relearn it's settings and run OK.

  • Quote

    Disconnect the battery, wait 30 mins and reconnect.


    It may run rough or even stall at first, but should relearn it's settings and run OK.


    Tried that, light came back on immediately, and while test driving it started to rain for the first time today (my Jeep has been doing that lately). Any other ideas, Keith?

  • Tried that, light came back on immediately, and while test driving it started to rain for the first time today (my Jeep has been doing that lately). Any other ideas, Keith?


    Did you check the TPS connector good ?


    Spray some contact cleaner or even WD-40 in it ?

  • Well, I really don't know if it is aligned correctly. I know that I had to tilt it about 30 degrees for it to slide all the way in, and then I straightened it to slide the bolts in. While driving, the hesitation was pretty subtle and I didn't have any stalls, so if the engine light wasn't on I probably wouldn't have noticed them at all.

  • Neill came by this afternoon to take a look to see if I put it on backwards or something :rolleyes: . His scanner showed the same codes and also wouldn't erase it. We started to take the new one off, and it fell apart in Neill's hands. Maybe the part was defective. We ran over to Pep Boys to exchange it, but they didn't have anymore at that store so we trekked down to Kirkwood Highway. With a new sensor, we tried again. Neill put it on, we tried WD-40 on the connector, disconnected the battery, still no go.


    :bang:


    Any OTHER suggestions?

  • Check for any vacuum leaks. Make sure there are no cracks or diconnected line. Aslo follow the wires back and make sure they are not chafed.


    Aaron

  • what codes did it show? When I've had issues that replacing the TPS didn't fix, replacing the IAC took care of it. I believe that they share a ground and if one dies bad enough, it'll short out the other? I dunno.

    Jerry / Whatevah

    2020 Gladiator Mojave - 33" Falken mud tires, LoD side steps, Zroadz bed rack, Quadratec QRC winch bumper, Superwinch EPi 9.0, Kleinn on-board air, Kleinn air horns, lots of lights, Yaesu ham radio with GPS tracker.

    Gone- 2012 JK Rubicon with stuff. Long gone- Long-arm 2001 Cherokee with stuff.

  • Some reports on the Interwebs that this can be caused by a faulty clock spring in the steering column.


    Apparently it has to do with the 5V circuit that is used for the TPS.


    Do a Google on "Jeep P0123" and you will come across it.


  • Some reports on the Interwebs that this can be caused by a faulty clock spring in the steering column.


    Apparently it has to do with the 5V circuit that is used for the TPS.


    Do a Google on "Jeep P0123" and you will come across it.



    Yea Keith I saw a few threads when I google searched p0123. I guess the clock spring is tied into the 5V signal to the TPS looks like a quick test is to unplug the clock spring.

    Neill


    In a perfect world every dog would have a home and every home would have a dog.

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