The same happened with our 2008 Equinox yesterday. Thankfully not on a highway though! It wouldn't go over 30 mph. Took it into the dealership and they told us that the throttle body and censor needed to be replaced. Said that the throttle body is stripped. We spoke with a friend who is a mechanic that said in all of his years working on cars, he has never seen a throttle body stripped. Does anyone have any idea if this is something that could actually happen? Or are we being taken advantage of? Our friend said the censor could be replaced for approximately $200. But the dealership is charging us $600 for the censor and a new throttle body.
I'm very hopeful they aren't taking advantage of us, but when we asked for them to fix it and to let us keep the old part, they suspiciously said that they may have to send the old part off to be refurbished. I said that was b.s. and if we are paying $600 for a new part to be installed, we should at least be able to keep our old one. They finally said that we could, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth the way things were handled.
$600 is a good amount of money for us to be paying. This isn't something I'm taking lightly. And with so many others out there that are experiencing the same sort of problems, this seems to me like it has become something that GM should be fixing. Maybe a recall? I don't know. But at the very least, they should be making things right!

 

I have posted to this thread previously with the same issue on my 2010 Suburban. I found a number to call on www.recalls.gm.com , inquired about recalls for my vehicle which after reading my VIN # to the gentleman I was told that there were no recalls but there was "Special Coverage" on this vehicle which paid for a new throttle position sensor. I have not had any issues since (KNOCK ON WOOD). Check it out!

 

Thanks @mclec! I will give that a try! Worth a shot!

 

Because everyone thinks this is a recall and 'wants a fix for free' when it is how the vehicle was designed. Read the owners manual on it.

Now fix your jalopy.

 

I would just like to clarify that I am not in search of a "fix for free". I also do not think that this is a recall. However, seeing that this is an issue that many people are experiencing, and a dangerous one at that, I do hope that GM takes notice and a recall may be warranted. I also do not think that GM would purposefully design their vehicles to create potentially dangerous situations while out on the road like what is happening with some of the drivers in this thread. So speak for yourself, sledge.impy. You're making yourself look like an ***.

 

Here's from the owner's manual - so YES THEY DID.

The car doesn't understand a sensor (censor as your call it) or input because these things are now all electrical - and the computer reaches a knows something doesn't make sense and tries to make it so you don't damage the car from invalid inputs.


https://www.chevrolet.com/content/da...nox_owners.pdf

3-38 Reduced Engine Power Light

Your vehicle has a reduced engine power light.
This light, along with the service vehicle soon light, will be displayed when a noticeable
reduction in
the vehicle’s performance may occur. Stop the vehicle and turn off the ignition. Wait for 10
seconds and restart your vehicle. This may correct the condition. See Service Vehicle Soon Light on
page 3-41 for
more information.
The vehicle may be driven at a reduced speed when the reduced engine power light is on, but
acceleration and speed may be reduced. The performance may
be reduced until the next time you drive your vehicle. If this light stays on, see your
dealer/retailer as soon
as possible for diagnosis and repair.

3-41 Service Vehicle Soon Light
For vehicles with this
light, it will come on if
a condition exists that
may require the vehicle
to be taken in for service.
If the light comes on, see your dealer/retailer for
service as soon as possible.

 

I highly doubt anyone is looking for a free fix. I paid 800 to fix my car at the dealer and then came on here when the problem started again in two days. Since its a dangerous issue and if the dealer cant even fix it, then the corporation needs to look into some form of solution to overhaul the problem. That's what people are referring to here rather than a "free fix on our jalopys". Plus all the cars that are being discussed here are far from jalopys. They are 2011, 2012, 2013 models.

If anyone has anything constructive to say, please share it. Lets not be critical here. I joined to get some help. One poster gave a number to call, I am going to call it and see what they can do.

Thanks all. Safe drives.

 

My 2011 HHR just started doing this as well. I am also not looking for a "free fix" but an efficient one. If its $600 bucks or whatever. Then fine. But if its a reoccurring problem then yea that's kinda crappy and GM should correct it. If its just a sensor that people are paying to replace but the same sensor is going bad within months then obviously there needs to be, maybe not a recall but a notice sent to all the dealerships about which specific parts from which specific companies must be used to correct the issue. It could easily be one or two companies making bad replacement parts.

 

I am having the same issue with my 2011 chevy malibu. I got the message saying esc off, low traction, then it says engine power reduce then it starts to shake uncontrollably. I only had the car for about a year. This car had gave me the message while driving on the highway which I had almost lost my life because a truck & cars almost slammed into the back of me. I am not happy nor do I feel safe driving in the car. I had spoken with chevy dealership and was told it sounds like the throttle body piece is the issue but I see so many online posts & was told by other chevy owners that they had to have the piece replaced over 5 times & still had the same problem weeks after having the piece changed. Now I do not have any transportation anywhere because my car can not make it very far. I don't know what to do. Please help.

 

I have had this problem several times and it always resets itself if you have time to turn off the engine for 5 minutes. The check engine light then stays on for 2 more driving cycles and then goes off. I have noticed that this is cold weather dependent, our temps have been subzero -28 this morning, and this usually occurs when I have the cruise control set and tap the brakes preparing to exit the highway. I have cleaned my throttle body, which was filthy, and this seems to have helped cut the occurrences. A new throttle body with throttle position sensor is $170 plus shipping from rockauto.com. I am quite confident that this part will eliminate the problem.https://www.rockauto.com/info/154/S2...mary__ra_p.jpg