Pedal Commander: does it work?

Vehicles have a throttle profile that is run through the ECM, and it is programed. I don't have a Pedal Commander, but I looked into how they operate. They change the throttle profile.

The video is in this thread showing the throttle plate opening stock, and then with the PC.

I have a 4-banger, so I think I'll hold off on one.

 

No no no. Pedal commander does NOT reprogram anything in the ecu. Our ecu are almost impossible to reprogram. It is placed in line with the signal from the pedal and the TPS and literally just changes amplifies the voltage into the computer. Your truck doesn't even know the unit is there.

The reason it opened "faster" in the video is because for a given throttle input, let's say 50% pedal, the commander makes the ecu think you are giving let's say 75. So the plate in the video responded to that.

If in the video they did both to 100% throttle it would have opened at same time

 

I never said it reprogrammed the ECU.

This is the video that was posted by @poopshute that shows it opening faster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4EqQF61YLc

 

So you're saying a throttle profile is programed into ecu, and the sprint booster changes the profile? You would have to reprogram it for that to happen lol.

Yes I have seen the video. This is an advertisement on a show, a sponsor. It does not open the plate faster. It gets you to 100% throttle earlier in the pedal travel. That is all. He says it himself. "This is a simple inline device that with computer stuff that changes the signal."

Here this might help

 

Also watch the video closely, how slow he pushes the pedal with the booster off, and then how fast he mays it with it on. He even changes his hand position to push with more power. It's smoke and mirrors man

 

That is 100% true but as you mention it does amplify the input higher than normal for a person who doesn't mash the pedal when they drive it may be preference for them. I used an equivalent product in my 2015 Golf R DSG and owned 2 BMWs that had the sport button which did the same thing. I liked it in the R but not so much in the Bimmers.

To me it's about muscle memory. My foot tells me at a certain position from rest to full mash mode that the vehicle should go or respond to me at an expected rate. My thoughts are some people are coming from older cars that have cable throttles or older drive by wire systems that were just overall more responsive. I'm more certain that manufacturers have lessened the throttle response on purpose to meet EPA standards to get better MPG. We know if you drive it like you stole it (full mash) will indeed drop MPG.

I read this product has a 14 day trial period so if somebody wants to try it, just try it. If you don't think it's for you then don't buy it or return it.

 

I completely agree with you. Like I stayed earlier I had it in my last 2 trucks and actually liked it alot (manual trans). Also I said I had a bmw that the button as well.

This is not new technology. My bmw was 2002 that had it.

It certainly makes the vehicle FEEL different. In simple terms it shortens the pedal travel. It's expensive for what it does, but feels good. Alot of people just miss understand what it actually is or how it works.

 

When I bought an E46 M3 from the original owner he told me that the button boosts the power. It's a NA motor so I just said "ok" and bought the car. That made me drive jerky since it as a manual.

You know you can't argue with the butt dyno cuz the butt dyno never lies.

 

I had an e46 m3 too! My fav vehicle I ever owned!

 

I want to jump on ship and give it a shot! Promo still valid?

 

PM @LSartore and find out.

 

I was on here several pages back defending the pedal commander. I owned and used one for over a year and loved it. However I am retracting all of my statements. DO NOT BUY IT!!! Several weeks ago my truck died on my way home. After checking everything I could I had to send it to a friend's shop. Two weeks went by before it got fixed. Turns out, the pedal commander throttle response controller had shorted out the five volt reference going to the ecm of the truck. Total bill wound up at around 2300 bucks. Damn shame I tell you. Spent 300 originally for the unit, 1700 for a new engine control module and the rest in labor when it fried my truck. I talked to another friend who works for penske and he confirmed that a few tacomas had been through his shop with this issue as well. I contacted the company and explained what had happened. I was highly doubtful they would help me but tried to give them a heads up anyway... you know what they said? NOTHING, I didn't even get a response!! Customer service at its best I guess. I have been an advocate for them for years and even convinced several buddies to buy one. Now I see that I have been on the wrong side this whole time. Dont be fooled, they dont care about their customers and while it was fun while it lasted it wasn't worth the price in the long run. What a bummer.

 

Damn, that's shitty. Sorry to hear that man.

 

ouch! sorry to hear that man.

 

Sorry to hear of your problem .
Did your friend confirm the other trucks that had the same problem also all have a pedal commander on them that caused the problem ?

 

Good point he just said throttle response controller. But they had the same issue and they had a "throttle response controller". I will ask next time I see him. He said the toyota ecm being fried on a 2012 is almost unheard of.

 

Can you really say that the pedal commander was the root of cause? You said that your friend had a few taco's coming in with the same problem but didn't ask him if those taco have a pedal commander on it or not. I'm not trying to back this up by any mean but just want to make sure your statement is valid. Please check with your friend and report back. Thought about trying one out. But if your case is valid then hell no! LoL

 

Actually yes he did say the other tacos had fried ecm's due to having t

hrottle response controller. And my buddy who is a certified mechanic with a very reputable shop said that the 5 volt reference used by the ecm was shorted out by the pedal commander in particular.

 

Pedal commander-300 when i got it
Ecm-1700
Labor-600
2600 total = Expensive lesson learned. For this price I could have gone supercharger...

 

Ouch ! I do not want a PC.