HELP!!! sluggish! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

ctango01 · 08-30-2010, 08:44 PM

I got a 2001 GTS auto with 138k miles. Had this problem a few years. But its gettting worse.
Sometimes when i start it and try to pull out it will not move but really slow... nor will it rev up( in park or neutral or drive) its starts pulling really slow and takes a about 50yards then it takes off and does fine. Then after it does it that one time your fine. will stop at redlights and pull right back out no problem. May stop somewhere for a few hours..you may get back in and it will be fine...then agin sometimes it will do the same thing. I have removed the catlytic converter.... new plugs... cleaned MAF (every few weeks.) I did have a transmission installed when i first got the car. Idont know if it did it before i had a trans put in. I bought the car with a bad trans. I changed the intake bolts that was on recall. Had the whole injector system cleaned and the intake cleaned(afte that it did very well for about a month.) But it would still do it everyonce in a while. Ive did everything. No mechanic shops nor i can figure out whats going wrong? When i take it to the shop it never does it for them. But it does it for me...my wife..and my younger brother. Please ANY HELP?????? or sugguestions?

jmk1977 · 09-15-2010, 01:26 PM

Will not rev up?

It could be a cpu problem, I thought low tranny fluid but you said the engine will not spool either so It sounds like its misfiring or not getting enough air\fuel.

Try resetting it by unplugging the negative battery lead for at least a minute.

That will reset the cpu and all sensors.

Also check the o2 sensor on the exhaust manifold. If the o2 sensor malfunctions you can have low power an such. try taking it off and cleaning it with breakcleen or something to that effect, take care not to touch the tip or you could do more damage then good.

ctango01 · 09-15-2010, 08:28 PM

It wont rev up or nothing. Just and idle...mabye even bog down if u press the gas. But once you start rolling it does fine. I removed the CAT. The check engine lite is on...says the oxy sensors is malfunction. Both. So should i put the cat back in and erase all the codes?
Some on anothe forum says that it maybe an auxillary power...or something not pluged up or something? I dont know what there talking about.

Thank you sooo much for your help...!!!

Bitter · 09-15-2010, 08:43 PM

clean the mass airflow sensor and go from there.

jmk1977 · 09-16-2010, 11:57 AM

yeah, you are in limp home mode, basically just enough power to roll down the road to 'limp home'

you should check the air sensor like the good joe above me said.

Unplug the battery 'negative' and clean the sensor with brake cleen or quick start fluid (neither will leave residue) then fire it up!

ctango01 · 09-16-2010, 06:43 PM

Ive cleaned the mass air sensor before. Still does it. Should i put my Catalytic convert back in? Also about 103-105 is top speed. Shouldnt it be way more than that? should there be a check engine code on if the mass air is messed up? Ive cleared the codes before. would that rest my cpu?

jmk1977 · 09-20-2010, 02:50 PM

cati wont make you loose power.

check mass air flow sensor.

unplug battery and try.

post back.

ctango01 · 09-22-2010, 07:01 PM

Ive cleaned it and took batt. terminal off for 20 mins. Still does it. Also top speed is 103-105ish. Wont gain anymore speed. Thats not normal either. Just thought that was top speed. but ive researched and it should be 140ish, Anymore help?

stepho · 09-23-2010, 06:41 AM

Not sure about your exact model but some models compare the two oxygen sensors (before and after the cat).
If there is no difference then it assumes the cat is broken, which would violate emissions laws (ie the cat should make a difference).
It would be a fair assumption that the computer has decided to put you in limp home mode because of this.
I'd put the cat back in and see what happens.
Besides, it's illegal to remove it.

- Stepho