Lightning Bolt on Dashboard in Dodge Journey - What’s This?

Your Dodge Journey has warning lights that illuminate on its dashboard, just like every other modern car. For example; the vehicle security warning, brake warning, airbag warning, battery warning, engine oil pressure warning, etc. Then there's the lightning alert that you may not be familiar with.

Lightning bolt warning lights highlights

• Common reasons:throttle control problems
• How to fix:disconnect the battery for some time, use scanner and get trouble codes
• Possible consequences:you may get stranded
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$150-$800

Brief Background to the Dodge Journey

Dodge Journey vehicles are medium-sized crossover SUVs (CUVs) that are issued by the Dodge brand. They were first released in 2009. Then there was a rebadge to the Fiat Freemont in 2011 as a parallel collection. The cars come in right-hand and left-hand drive.

The Dodge Journey comes with warning indicators just like other Dodge models. When these warning lights come up; it could be a system malfunction, security issue, or need for urgent maintenance.

Driver safety shouldn't be taken for granted, especially when a warning light comes on. Taking a related risk could be bad for you and/or the vehicle

What Is the Electronic Throttle Control on a Dodge Journey?

Your Dodge's electronic throttle control features an accelerator pedal module which has a motor, sensors, and a throttle plate. It's a great improvement from the traditional mechanical linkage in old-model cars. Although it isn't immune to mechanical faults.

The ETC measures the pressure drivers apply on the gas/accelerator pedal. The pedal isn't mechanically linked to the engine. A sensor tracks the pedal's position and the data is transmitted to the ETC for engine RPMs (revolutions per minute) to be adjusted.

Gas pedal pressure will determine how much the throttle passage will be opened. There's a flat valve at the opening that's regulated by the pedal's movement. It's called the throttle plate or butterfly valve.

The throttle plate rotates inside the throttle body when you depress the pedal. Then the air will be let into the intake manifold and quickly drawn into it by its vacuum.

1) Sensors in the ETC System

Two sensors that are instrumental to the ETC's operations include the following:

• Mass Airflow (MAF) Sensor

The mass airflow (MAF) sensor calculates the change in airflow. It will then send results to the engine's control unit (ECU) or electronic control module (ECM). This sensor is usually located between the throttle body and the air cleaner.

• Throttle position (TPS) Sensor or Throttle Valve Position Sensor

It's linked to the throttle body and it tracks your Dodge's throttle angle. You can find it on the reverse side of the throttle plate.

Don't get confused about the two sensors mentioned above. The TPS simply informs the ECU/ECM that you've depressed the gas pedal, while the MAF detects the air added. The NAF

2) The Role of the ECU

It's the ECU that controls the balancing of the air-fuel mixture in real-time. It also calculates the best moment to activate the spark plugs to ignite the balanced air-fuel combination.

3) Wide-Open Throttle (WOT)

This is what's referred to as full throttle. It's when the throttle is fully opened on an internal combustion engine or in your car. WOT also means the max-speed state of running an engine or the usual condition of a completely opened butterfly valve or throttle plate.

Your depression of the gas pedal in this situation is referred to as "flooring it". There'll be maximum intake of air because of the lowest resistance to incoming air.

What Does the Electronic Throttle Control Warning Light Mean?

The electronic throttle control warning light on your Dodge Journey could mean that the system has detected a communication problem that has resulted in an ETC error. It's most likely a result of a miscommunication between the ETC and its related sensors.

Dodge Journey vehicles were introduced almost a decade and a half ago, so the dashboard instrument cluster arrangement may vary based on the model year of your car. Still, the lightning symbol is very easy to notice when it illuminates.

Electronic Throttle Control Warning Light Behavior

The electronic throttle control warning light can be a troublesome alert that can come on at any time after the first illumination. And it can go off easily and come on after some days or even weeks. It may stay on for hours in some cases, only to stop when you restart the vehicle.

It will seem like the alert has a mind of its own. Worse still, the symptoms of the fault may not be easy to notice. The car might just be driving just fine regardless of the warning light. There's no need to get confused or nervous.

The ETC light could stay on after the initial indicator check when you first start your car. It could also activate when driving. Even the check engine light (CEL) could activate with it simultaneously.

What To Do Immediately After Noticing the ETC Warning Light

You could continue driving, but it wouldn't be the best move. Just remember to get the car checked at your earliest convenience if you decide to take the RISK.

Drivers could also stop the Dodge instead and park it at a convenient spot or put it in "park". Then proceed to put the engine off and cycle the ignition. The warning light may go off at this point.

Your car should be drivable if the alert doesn't go off. But the vehicle will need to be serviced ASAP. In case of the light flashing, then you should understand that the problem is a severe one that demands more urgency. It won't be advisable to drive the car in such a scenario, but you actually could.

Utilize a diagnostic scan tool to check for vehicle fault codes if you have one. This should be done before any other thing-be it DIY physical checks or hiring a professional technician. It may save you from getting scammed by the dealer or mechanic with a wrong diagnosis and unnecessary repair bills.

Ask the professional or dealer attending to you if they can let you be with them in the vehicle as the diagnoses are taking place. Some repairers offer such a service.

You'll have to take your car to the dealer or auto repair workshop immediately if you don't have a scan tool. Decreased engine power, rough engine noise, or abnormally high idle speed may be experienced if you drive the Dodge while the light is flashing.

Performance issues such as misfiring, stalling, and unstable throttle feedback when the light comes on while driving means you must stop the car. Towing the vehicle to a repairer is recommended at this point if you want to avoid complicating the situation.

Other Symptoms of a Bad ETC

You should look out for the following signs when the ETC alert comes on:

• Idle surges
• Rough idling
• Uninitiated acceleration (car accelerating by itself)
• Reduced fuel mileage (poor fuel economy)
• Engine misfiring

Electronic Throttle Control System Reset Procedure

The problem being indicated by the ETC light might just be the need for a gas pedal reset. The pedal position might not be well lined up or aligned. This will result in a communication error with the sensors that trigger the motor which closes or opens the throttle. Such could be the case in a high-mileage Dodge Journey.

Thankfully, the pedal reset can be done on your own instead of hiring a professional. Follow the steps below carefully to reset the pedal.

• Step 1: Switch on the ignition key without starting the vehicle.
• Step 2: Press the accelerator pedal to the floor and ease it up.
• Step 3: Start the vehicle and depress the pedal again. Observe whether your Dodge will respond or not. Check to see if the ETC light has gone off as well.
• Step 4: Proceed to drive the car around to see if the ETC is working well and if there are no other issues.
• Step 5: Take the car to a repair place if the throttle problem continues and the ETC light is still on.

Conclusion

Most of the warning lights that illuminate on your dashboard can't be taken for granted. And the Dodge Journey electronic throttle control warning light isn't an exception. That's why they're referred to as warnings. Always deal with the lightning symbol alert coming on as soon as possible.

Scanning your Dodge for diagnostic trouble codes (DTCS) will help in eliminating so many possibilities related to the ETC alert. It will save you from diagnostics bills at a repair shop or wasting money on "trial and error". You may only need to do a simple fix such as swapping out the air filter and ETC sensor, or resetting the pedal.