2003 Dodge Ram 5.7 Red Lightning Bolt

[HonkyTonkRN]

I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 hemi. It will sporadically start idling funny and the red lightning bolt will pop up and I have absolutely no power, shut it off and restart and I will run fine until it does it again could be an hour or a week. I have taken to one mechanic who replaced the pedal, O2 sensors, throttle body and PCM. Was still having the same issue so I took it to the dodge dealer and they said it was the Nox detector, solenoid, intake Manifold, engine pad & intake seal, so I had them all replaced. Had the same issue, so I took it back and they told me it was the MAP sensor so I had it replaced. Guess what still having the same issue. I bought this truck brand new with 10 miles on it, and have spent almost $10K in parts and labor for this lighting bolt issue. Can anyone help?

 

[tron67j]

Have you run for codes?

 

[Fast69Mopar]

I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 hemi. It will sporadically start idling funny and the red lightning bolt will pop up and I have absolutely no power, shut it off and restart and I will run fine until it does it again could be an hour or a week. I have taken to one mechanic who replaced the pedal, O2 sensors, throttle body and PCM. Was still having the same issue so I took it to the dodge dealer and they said it was the Nox detector, solenoid, intake Manifold, engine pad & intake seal, so I had them all replaced. Had the same issue, so I took it back and they told me it was the MAP sensor so I had it replaced. Guess what still having the same issue. I bought this truck brand new with 10 miles on it, and have spent almost $10K in parts and labor for this lighting bolt issue. Can anyone help?

The red lightning bolt is related to the throttle body and the APPS Sensor or the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor. The Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor (APPS) is a linear potentiometer. It provides the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) with a DC voltage signal proportional to the angle, or position of the accelerator pedal. The APPS signal is translated (along with other sensors) to place the throttle plate (within the throttle body) to a pre-determined position.

When the red lightning bolt comes on you need to verify that the PCM is receiving the DC voltage signal from the APPS Sensor. If the PCM is not seeing the signal from the APPS Sensor you will have a dead pedal and no power.

 

[GonzalezEA]

I am experiencing a dead accelerator pedal on my 2013 1500… no response from the pedal at all. Although, I see the APPS % changing in the OBD II scanner live data when pressing the accelerator. I am also experiencing the lighting bolt issue with a message “Service Electronic Throttle Control”. No active OBD codes are stored nor pending. How can I test the signal from the AAPS sensors to the PCM?

 

[THRobinson]

Ever fix this?

I have an '03... replaced the throttle body and the pedal position sensor... ran a week, now the error is back again.

Can the computer be programmed to just ignore it? I had an '02 Impala, kept getting the passlock security error, which is like an $800 fix. Sent my engine control module in to one of those performance places that alter the software to get better performance... told them just the basic tuning not a sports car and ignore that passlock error and done. $75, the car ran smoother, accelerated better and when that passlock error came up, it turned it off and ignored it immediately.