The idle air control (IAC) valve is located in the throttle body of both the throttle bowl injection (TBI) and the multi-port fuel injection (MFI) systems. The valve consists of a movable pintle, driven by a gear attached to an electric motor called a stepper motor. The IAC valve motor is a 2-phase bi-polar permanent magnet stepper motor that is capable of highly accurate rotation, or movement, every time the polarity of a winding is changed. This change in the polarity can be seen when observing a test lamp connected between ground or B+ and an IAC valve circuit while the powertrain control module (PCM) is attempting to change engine RPM. The test lamp will flash ON or OFF each time the polarity is changed.
The PCM does not use a physical sensor in order to determine the IAC pintle position, but uses a predicted number of counts. One count represents one change in polarity, which equals one step of the stepper motor. The PCM counts the steps it has commanded in order to determine the IAC pintle position. The PCM uses the IAC valve in order to control the engine idle speed. The PCM does this by changing the pintle position in the idle air passage of the throttle body. This procedure varies the air flow around the throttle plate when the throttle is closed. In order to determine the desired position of the IAC pintle at idle or during deceleration, the PCM refers to the following inputs:
• | The engine RPM |
• | The battery voltage |
• | The air temperature |
• | The engine coolant temperature |
• | The throttle position sensor angle |
• | The engine load |
• | The vehicle speed |
When the ignition key is turned OFF after an ignition cycle, the PCM will first seat the IAC pintle in the air bypass bore, and then retract the valve a predetermined amount of counts in order to allow the proper amount of air to bypass the throttle plate for engine start-up. This procedure is known as an IAC reset.
• | DTCs P0101, P0102, P0103, P0107, P0108, P0112, P0113, P0117, P0118, P0121, P0123, P0125, P0171, P0172, P0201-P0206, P0300, P0335, P0385, P0401, P0403, P0404, P0405, P0440, P0442, P0443, P0446, P0449, P1106, P1107, P1111, P1112, P1114, P1115, P1121, P1122, P1336, P1372, P1380, P1381, P1404, or P1441 are not set. |
• | The engine run time is more than 2 minutes. |
• | The engine coolant temperature (ECT) is more than 70°C (158°F). |
• | The intake air temperature (IAT) is more than -18°C (0°F). |
• | The barometric pressure (BARO) is more than 65 kPa. |
• | The ignition voltage is between 9 volts and 18 volts. |
• | The throttle position (TP) angle is less than 1.5 percent. |
• | The vehicle speed is less than 4.8 km/h (3 mph). |
• | The above conditions are present for 10 seconds. |
• | The actual engine speed is 75 RPM more than the desired engine speed. |
• | The above enabling criteria must be met and must fail 5 consecutive times in order to set this DTC. |
• | The control module illuminates the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) on the second consecutive ignition cycle that the diagnostic runs and fails. |
• | The control module records the operating conditions at the time the diagnostic fails. The first time the diagnostic fails, the control module stores this information in the Failure Records. If the diagnostic reports a failure on the second consecutive ignition cycle, the control module records the operating conditions at the time of the failure. The control module writes the operating conditions to the Freeze Frame and updates the Failure Records. |
• | The control module turns OFF the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) after 3 consecutive ignition cycles that the diagnostic runs and does not fail. |
• | A current DTC, Last Test Failed, clears when the diagnostic runs and passes. |
• | A history DTC clears after 40 consecutive warm-up cycles, if no failures are reported by this or any other emission related diagnostic. |
• | Clear the MIL and the DTC with a scan tool. |
Inspect for the following conditions:
• | A correct and properly-installed PCV valve, and proper operation of the PCV valve |
• | Proper operation and installation of all air intake components |
• | Proper installation and operation of the mass air flow sensor, if equipped |
• | A tampered with or damaged throttle stop screw |
• | A tampered with or damaged throttle plate, throttle shaft, throttle linkage, or cruise control linkage, if equipped |
• | A skewed high TP sensor |
• | Excessive deposits in the IAC passage or on the IAC pintle |
• | Excessive deposits in the throttle bore or on the throttle plate |
• | Vacuum leaks |
• | A high or unstable idle condition can be caused by a non-IAC system problem that cannot be overcome by the IAC valve. Refer to Rough, Unstable, or Incorrect Idle and Stalling . |
• | If the problem is intermittent, refer to Intermittent Conditions in Symptoms. |
This test will determine the ability of the engine controller and IAC valve circuits to control the IAC valve.
This test will determine the ability of the PCM to provide the IAC valve circuits with a ground. On a normally-operating system, the test lamp should not flash while the IAC counts are incrementing.
Step | Action | Yes | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Schematic Reference: Engine Controls Schematics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Did you perform the Diagnostic System Check-Engine Controls? | Go to Step 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2 |
Important: Ensure that the engine speed stabilizes with each commanded RPM change in order to determine if engine speed stays within 75 RPM of the commanded RPM.
Does the engine speed stabilize within 75 RPM of the commanded RPM during the above test? | Go to Step 3 | Go to Step 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
3 |
Does the DTC fail this ignition? | Go to Step 4 | Go to Diagnostic Aids | ||||||||||||||||||||||
4 |
Did the engine speed steadily decrease to near 600 RPM, and steadily increase to near 1,800 RPM when the IAC valve was commanded in and out? | Go to Step 5 | Go to Step 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Did the test lamp remain ON and never flashing while the IAC Counts were incrementing at any of the IAC valve circuits during the above test? | Go to Step 9 | Go to Step 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Did the test lamp remain OFF and never flashing while the IAC Counts were incrementing at any of the IAC valve circuits during the above test? | Go to Step 8 | Go to Step 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Did the test lamp stay illuminated and never flashing while the IAC counts were incrementing during the above test? | Go to Diagnostic Aids | Go to Step 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
8 |
Did you find and correct the condition? | Go to Step 15 | Go to Step 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
9 |
Did you find and correct the condition? | Go to Step 15 | Go to Step 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Inspect for the following conditions:
Repair any of the above conditions as necessary. Refer to the appropriate repair procedure. Did you find and correct the condition? | Go to Step 15 | Go to Step 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Inspect for a poor connection at the PCM harness connectors. Refer to Testing for Intermittent Conditions and Poor Connections , and Connector Repairs in Wiring Systems. Did you find and correct the condition? | Go to Step 15 | Go to Step 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Inspect for a poor connection at the IAC valve harness connector. Refer to Testing for Intermittent Conditions and Poor Connections , and Connector Repairs in Wiring Systems. Did you find and correct the condition? | Go to Step 15 | Go to step 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | Replace the IAC valve. Refer to Idle Air Control Valve Replacement . Did you complete the replacement? | Go to Step 15 | -- | ||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | Replace the PCM. Refer to Powertrain Control Module Replacement . Did you complete the replacement? | Go to Step 15 | -- | ||||||||||||||||||||||
15 |
Does the DTC run and pass? | Go to Step 16 | Go to Step 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | With a scan tool, observe the stored information, Capture Info. Does the scan tool display any DTCs that you have not diagnosed? | System OK |