Q: My car doesn't respond to the gas pedal like it should

asked by on March 14, 2017

A year ago my car started having problems with acceleration. Whenever I would turn on my car from work and it would come time to press the gas pedal It barely moved. I would press it and leave it to where its usually going 60 MPH of depth and it would slowly pick up. Eventually if I would leave it pressed the car would pick up speed and I would only have to press it slightly. To fix this I would turn it off and on and the problem would be gone until the next time I turn it on. I continued to leave this issue and eventually the car got to the point where i could'nt accelerate anymore. It would sputter really bad when i tried pressing the gas pedal. I changed the mass air flow sensor and it seemed like the problem got cured but it was only for a week. I thought it would of been because I bought it online for cheap and refurbished so i decided to buy a new mass air flow sensor from oreillys but after a week again the problem came back. Like I said all i need to do is turn it off and on.

My car has 190000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hello, thank you for writing in. The engine is likely sensing an issue and compensating for it. When you restart the vehicle, the component may be passing its start up tests, and the engine stops trying to outperform itself. Start by having the vehicle scanned for diagnostic codes. If there is another sensor to blame, it may show up there and make diagnostics a lot easier. If not codes come up, you will want to test the fuel pressure available at the engine, and make sure the fuel system is working properly. You can also clean the throttle and test the throttle position sensor. For more help with diagnosing and resolving the issue, contact our service department to schedule an appointment.

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