2013 2.7 drive by wire prob & noise

Hello, this might be the very first issue I’ve had with my Tacoma, certainly the first time the 2TR has had a problem.

It is a 2013 AC 4x4, 2.7 manual with ~70k miles. I’ve done all the maintenance on it at recommended intervals.

A few weeks ago very briefly, it didn’t respond to throttle input. As if I wasn’t pressing the pedal. This evening the problem repeated, much more severely to the point I wasn’t sure I was getting home. In both instances the engine was stone cold. This time, if I pressed the pedal more, it recognized the input, but at small throttle angles it was hit or miss whether it would respond. Ultimately the check engine light and Trac lights illuminate.

P2121. It does have one of those silly pedal commander modules (knock off brand) and from the get go when this happened a few weeks back I assumed that was the fail point. It didn’t repeat and fell out of sight out of mind till this evening. I removed it, cleared the code, it starts and runs normally. Drive just fine on a 5 mile test drive.

However, my concern is a noise coming directly from the drive by wire throttle body. With the engine off and key on the throttle body itself is emitting a high pitch electronic whine. Throttle input (again engine off) changes the whine.

Wondering if the throttle body itself may be failing with intermittent symptoms. Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms or this whine? As mentioned, it now drives fine (thus far) but I don’t recall ever hearing this noise before so it seems amiss.

 

I agree the issue was probably the "Pedal Commander" doohicky as the main issue cleared up when it was removed. I assume the code didn't return after the pedal commander was removed and it runs and drives normally. Correct?

As for the noise can you hear it from the cab when driving or do you have to open the hood to hear it?
Are there any codes being thrown?

I'd say no codes and driving normally with just a little whine, No worries.

Probably wouldn't hurt to clean the throttle body just for shits and grins.

 

Pretty normal for electronic throttle bodies to make a high pitched humming sound with the key on because they are duty cycle controlled at a high frequency.

 

Thank you both. Hood open, it is fairly loud. In cab, engine off it is audible. Engine on, not audible from the cab. I just don’t recall ever hearing this prior to today. I’ll note, when you first key-on (no start) there is no noise. But if you apply the throttle and then even once you let go, this noise persists.

edit- yes with the pedal commander gone, runs fine and code didnt return… but this noise new.

vid linked-
https://youtube.com/shorts/wmAbCl0PLeo?si=eCbjsWs1C4wf74Hw

 

Yeah I agree that don't sound right to me either.

I've never heard a throttle body make that much noise... It looks like hell too, do you live in a salty environment?

 

Yea that one is louder than most I hear, you may try cleaning it like @Jimmyh said. If it's excessively dirty it may be binding up which would cause the motor to have to work harder to move it.

 

I’ll try cleaning it, nothing to lose. Anyone know if these are o-ring sealed to the manifold or gasketed? I don’t want the gunk in the manifold so will remove to clean. Yes, salty environment but also it’s aluminum so that is just surface oxidation and not really indicative of the internal condition. I do Fluid Film the frame every year and thus far it looks great beneath.

 

Pretty sure it is an oring. If still protruding from channel and soft/ pliable it can be reused. If it is hard. And has a square face, it needs a new one.

 

2014 AC, 2.7 here.

I cleaned my throttle body two nights ago and replaced the gasket.
Assuming this is the gasket for yours too.

 

Safe to say that dirt or carbon is not the issue. Uncleaned condition:

 

I did spray it nonetheless without concern for anything getting in the manifold. I concentrated the spray where the shaft goes into the bushings that support the butterfly. It sputtered a bit on start to clear out the spray but otherwise still runs just fine. In the cab I really can’t hear it much at all, the faintest of sounds with the engine off. Going to leave as is for now. If the whine becomes more audible or I experience the dead pedal again I’ll look to replace the throttle body.

 

Is the "scratchy" sound in that video actually there in real life, or is it just a camera-microphone artifact?

Hard to tell how loud the "scratching" sound is relative to the pure whining tone in your vid.

I just checked my 4.0L 1GR-FE & verified that it also has approximately the same whine, but (I think?) a lot less "scratch/scritch" sound. When ignition is ON but motor is not running and the gas pedal is pressed, the PWM (pulse width modulation) whine starts in the throttle body & stays on, steady, for a least a minute or so. Part of the truck's pre-cranking priming routine.

The only reason you haven't heard it before is that you can't hear it from the driver's seat w/ the hood closed, and usually it's only a second or two anyway before the motor starts up & drowns out the whine from the throttle body actuator/position sensor.

There's def. some corrosive atmosphere going on under your hood, judging by the rust on bolts, hose clamps, etc. Do you live in a very salty/humid area?
That amt of corrosion externally sets up a greater likelihood that the same corrosion may also be affecting the internals of the throttle body electronics/servomotor.

 

The vid is a pretty good representation of the actual sound. Keep in mind, it’s at a distance of a few inches. Hood closed, in cab, not so noticeable. I’ve never really listened for it before, perhaps always there. I drove about 50 miles today, no probs at all.

I live in New England, so yes all kinds of road salt. I do Fluid Film under hood as well - now but didn’t always. It’s non conductive so no risk of a short but I am careful where I apply it. Most accessible hose clamps are hit, all frame and steering components. The frame is really in great shape.