Ham radio interference with Pedal Commander

[Big Terry]

OK so I have noticed a bug with my Pedal Commander and the Electronic Throttle Control. Apparently my ham radio (a Yaesu FTM400) causes enough interference on broadcasting 2m that it throws a code in the ECM. P2121, Throttle Position Sensor.

It only does it when the Pedal Commander is active, and I try to key the mic on the radio. Almost instantly throws the code, and the throttle idiot light comes on in EVIC.


I have AlfaOBD, so I was easily able to check and clear the code with no ill effect, apparently.


Just wanted to put this out there for anyone else who may be running a similar combination of electronics. Who knows, maybe someone else is, and has found a way to work around it. I am fortunate in that I can clear my own code, but that idiot light blinking was annoying as hell until I got it turned off.

 

[AFMoulton]

How is your radio wired into the truck? Also do you have a noise filter in the power line for the radio?


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper Stt MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Amsoil SS 5W-30
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

 

[RamHondo]

Is the Alfa worth get??? Been looking at Z Automobile plug in unit.

 

[Big Terry]

How is your radio wired into the truck? Also do you have a noise filter in the power line for the radio?


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper Stt MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Amsoil SS 5W-30
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

Power is directly off the battery, and it is fused on pos and neg. No external filters. Never had issues in the previous truck it was installed in, nor this truck prior to the Pedal Commander.

 

[Big Terry]

Is the Alfa worth get??? Been looking at Z Automobile plug in unit.

Depends what you want/need it for. A lot of us find it incredibly useful, and if you intend to mod your truck it can be an invaluable tool to have to save you trips to the dealership. In this specific instance it probably paid for itself by saving me a trip to the dealer and the cost of the service to clear the codes, not to mention saved me the hassle of uninstalling my security harness bypass as well as my pedal commander prior to the trip to the dealer.

 

[AFMoulton]

Well that makes sense, I would say it’s the pedal commanders fault. Have you tried finding a positive 12v power line or something not direct on the battery and adding a 20 AMP noise filter in the power line. I had issues with throwing codes on mine, and then I added the noise filter and had no issues


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper Stt MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Amsoil SS 5W-30
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

 

[Big Terry]

Now that I know about it I'll try and put a filter in line. I just thought it was an odd set of coincidences that led to throwing that code on a new truck, but once I saw what the code was, it wasn't hard to narrow it down.

 

[AFMoulton]

Now that I know about it I'll try and put a filter in line. I just thought it was an odd set of coincidences that led to throwing that code on a new truck, but once I saw what the code was, it wasn't hard to narrow it down.

It makes sense as the Pedal Commander plugs into the OBD II port right?


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper Stt MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Amsoil SS 5W-30
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

 

[Big Terry]

It makes sense as the Pedal Commander plugs into the OBD II port right?


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper Stt MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Amsoil SS 5W-30
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

Actually it doesn't. It plugs in line with the throttle control. Unplug the accelerator pedal and plug it in line, and done.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[WhiteHotRam]

You could try a low pass filter, or a band pass filter
I would have to think someone makes a combo filter for both 2m and 70cm.

 

[AFMoulton]

Ok that makes more sense, but also with it being right to the battery and you drawing all that power, who knows with these trucks what that could/can cause.


2018 2500 6.4 4x4 4.10 Amsoil SS 0w-40, Softopper
Black Rhino Armory 18x9 +12mm
Cooper Stt MAXX LT295/70R18

2016 Durango 5.7 AWD 3.07 Amsoil SS 5W-30
1996 Nissan Altima 2.4 Amsoil SS 5W-30

 

[winmaster]

Man i have registered to this forum only because i found this thread on google.. im glad im not the only person in this world with this problem., did the OP found a solution? Im having the same problem and it is so dam hard to find the cause and to fix it.. removing the pedal commander is just a fix patch.. if everything was working before (with the pedal commander and a cb radio) then why is it no longer working .. one possibility is that something is wrong with the vehicle, like a bad wire, bad solder joint or a bad electronic component somewhere else.. i can,t freaking find the solution to this.. i am getting a p2138 as soon i key the mic cb radio.. it doesn't matter which radio or which coax cable,, even a hand held cb radio with its own AA battery pointing at the pedal throttle (1 inch from it) is enough to put the vehicle into limp mode.. so if a big truck next to me try to use a CB that guy can literally disable my vehicle like an EMP gun.. very dangerous on the highway.. so i had no choice than remove the pedal commander.. i was using pedal commander for offroad mainly. Very usefull device for offroad,

 

[RamCares]

Man i have registered to this forum only because i found this thread on google.. im glad im not the only person in this world with this problem., did the OP found a solution? Im having the same problem and it is so dam hard to find the cause and to fix it.. removing the pedal commander is just a fix patch.. if everything was working before (with the pedal commander and a cb radio) then why is it no longer working .. one possibility is that something is wrong with the vehicle, like a bad wire, bad solder joint or a bad electronic component somewhere else.. i can,t freaking find the solution to this.. i am getting a p2138 as soon i key the mic cb radio.. it doesn't matter which radio or which coax cable,, even a hand held cb radio with its own AA battery pointing at the pedal throttle (1 inch from it) is enough to put the vehicle into limp mode.. so if a big truck next to me try to use a CB that guy can literally disable my vehicle like an EMP gun.. very dangerous on the highway.. so i had no choice than remove the pedal commander.. i was using pedal commander for offroad mainly. Very usefull device for offroad,

Hello there @winmaster
We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing this concern with your vehicle! We recommend bringing this to the attention of your dealer for a proper diagnosis. Please know that our team is available to you via private messages for additional support throughout your dealer service.

Kathryn
RamCares

 

[bm02tj]

Where is the antenna mounted and how have you run the coax cable as radiation will come off both