The advancements in the automotive industry have equipped the vehicles of today with more and more systems. Whether safety, performance or just convenience, vehicles such as the Isuzu Dmax are becoming more complicated, but also more capable than ever. Various systems allow you to have better control over certain components such as the throttle body. The electronic throttle control is the system that controls the throttle body with the help of sensors instead of cables and wires. This allows for better fuel usage since a chip decides how much fuel will be used when you press on the accelerator. If your Isuzu Dmax is an older model, though, it won’t have that sort of system. So to improve its performance and fuel consumption you should consider installing an aftermarket throttle controller. While there are other ways to improve your vehicle’s performance, throttle controllers are the easiest and arguably most affordable solution.

How Do Throttle Controllers Work?

An Isuzu throttle controller relies on the power of an electric voltage signal and a system called drive-by-wire. This signal is sent from the unit to the harness where the accelerator pedal is. This way, the Dmax throttle controller sends instructions to the ECU and how much fuel it needs to use when you press on the pedal. This results in a much faster throttle response compared to having a drive-by-cable system that older vehicles have.

Are Throttle Controllers Safe?

If you were to get a throttle controller that’s made for the make and year of your vehicle, in this case, the Isuzu Dmax, there won’t be any harm to your vehicle. Throttle controllers are completely safe for your vehicle as long as you get the right one. There’s no chance of harm to your ECU as the controller you get specifically for your vehicle is made so it works with the values it gets from it.

Symptoms of a Failing Throttle Controller

Fuel Economy

Like any sort of vehicle system, a throttle controller can start to fail, because after all, it’s an electrical device. When a throttle controller is starting to fail, the most noticeable symptom will be reduced fuel economy. Since a throttle controller is directly involved in controlling the fuel used by the engine it directly affects its consumption. This is where your Isuzu Dmax will use more fuel than usual, which is why you’ll want to replace your controller with a new one.

Acceleration

Since your Dmax Throttle controller is connected with the accelerator pedal, it plays a role in your acceleration speeds. Sometimes, acceleration will seem slow, while sometimes it will seem super fast. Acceleration should feel smooth and it should depend on how much your press on the accelerator pedal.

Electrical Issues

Since a throttle controller uses electric signals to communicate with vehicle components, sometimes an electrical issue can cause all the problems. An electrical issue can be caused by an abnormal power draw from another system or by a twisted connection between the throttle controller and say, the accelerator pedal.

Idle

When your Isuzu Dmax is idling poor or has a very low idle state it means that you need to replace the throttle controller. This poor idling can lead to your vehicle stalling frequently, especially when coming to a stop. Your Isuzu Dmax can also stall when you press the accelerator too fast which shouldn’t be the case.

Grime

A buildup of dirt and grim inside the housing can cause an interruption to the air-fuel flow. Not having a smooth surface for the air and fuel mixture to flow can make it hard for the throttle controller to work things out on how much is needed of both. This can lead to major performance issues and it can make your Isuzu Dmax be a little bit unpredictable.

Engine & Throttle Control Light

The strongest indicator of a failing Isuzu throttle controller is the engine light. The check engine light can mean anything, but the issue it often indicates has to do with the engine. While the issue may not originate in the engine, it can be tied to it, or one of its components. The throttle control light, on the other hand, directly shows us that the issue is related to the throttle control unit itself. Now, this doesn’t mean that you need to replace it, but you should take a good look at it and try to reset it or reconnect all its wires. If that doesn’t work then you should go with the replacement process.

Can You Drive with Electronic Throttle Control Light On?

It’s not that the throttle control light prevents you from driving your Isuzu Dmax around, you shouldn’t ignore it either. You can drive with the light on but you shouldn’t do so for long. The sooner you visit a repair shop the better it is for your vehicle. There can be many causes for this light to come on, so it’s best that you figure out what they are before something serious happens.