Dayton Daily News

Wheels: Dennis says, “I drive a 2002 Honda Accord 5-speed. When I first start the car, the throttle is “stuck.” The sticking is easily overcome with more foot pressure, but I am worried that this problem may become more severe over time. I think I may have a sticky/dirty throttle position sensor, but I am not sure how to go about cleaning it.”

Halderman: The most common cause of a sticking throttle is carbon and varnish buildup on the throttle plate. The throttle position sensor would not normally cause this condition. To correct the problem, remove the air inlet hose at the throttle body and use a spray throttle-body cleaner to remove the deposits on the throttle plate, as well as in the throttle body. This is now considered to be part of routine service and can be done by a professional for a reasonable rate. The symptoms that may indicate that the throttle plate needs to cleaned include a rough idle (can be occurring just sometimes, depending on weather, temperature, etc.), as well as a stall condition or hesitation while first accelerating.

The procedure for cleaning the throttle plate area includes:

1. With the engine off, the air inlet hose needs to be removed from the throttle body.

2. Using throttle body cleaner, both sides of the throttle plate(s) need to be cleaned, as well as inside the throttle body itself.

3. Reattach the inlet hose and start the engine. The engine may not run correctly for several minutes until the computer has relearned the proper idle speed.

Wheels: An e-mail from Don says, “I have two cars that have not been started for four months. Are there any precautions I should take before starting and driving these vehicles?”

Halderman: There could be three concerns:

1. Is the battery fully charged? If not, or if you don’t know, I suggest that a battery charger be used to bring the battery to full charge before starting.

2. The gasoline is more than
3 months old and may not have the volatility needed to allow the engine to start. Try to start the engine and, if it does allow it to run, drive to a gas station and fill the tank with fresh fuel.

3. Have the oil and oil filter replaced as soon as possible. Use the oil viscosity recommended by the vehicle manufacturer; usually SAE 5W-30 or SAE 10W-30. Keep in mind that Hondas and Fords recommend the use of SAE 5W-20 engine oil in most of their vehicles. This lower viscosity oil results in better fuel economy.

That should do it. There are many other things that may need to be done if the vehicle had been stored for a longer period.