With steady technological advancements in the automobiles industry, some parts are becoming increasingly popular, and a throttle controller is definitely one of them. Since they are very popular now, a lot of misinformation is passed around about it, which can lead to a lot of confusion on what does a throttle controller do.
To clear all the misconceptions and tell you everything you need to know about throttle controller, we have written this elaborate article on its benefits, mechanism, and more! Keep on reading to find out if you should buy a throttle controller for your vehicle!
What Does a Throttle Controller Do?
The biggest misconception about throttle controllers that have been spread around a lot is that it increases horsepower. This statement is false; in no way does having a throttle controller make your engine more powerful.
So, what does a throttle controller do? It is a device that is designed basically to help out with improving the pedal engine’s response. The addition of a throttle tuner will let you customize the response of the gas pedal, and thus the acceleration of your vehicle will also be customizable.
Pedal sensitivity is a very important factor in determining your comfort while driving, and if it’s too high or low, the driving experience can be frustrating. With this device installed, the pedal sensitivity can be controlled, which will thus give you more control over the acceleration.
When pressing down on the gas pedal, you might feel that it’s spongy, and it will show a lag with the acceleration. Throttle controllers are very helpful in resolving this issue. If you set the pedal sensitivity high, you will see that your vehicle will be able to accelerate much faster.
The increased throttle response with this controller will give you control over how fast your car accelerates. Additionally, you can activate your engine in an instant!
By having improved control over the throttle sensitivity, you will also be able to control your vehicle’s speed and horsepower. However, remember, as we mentioned before, the horsepower cannot be increased by the installation of this item.
Since you can tune your acceleration and control the sensitivity of the gas pedal, the throttle controller will also make your driving experience safer. For example, in the rain or snow, the customization of acceleration will be of massive help by providing you with much more control than you would have.
Mechanism of Throttle Controllers
The way a throttle controller works isn’t too complicated. This device, also commonly called the booster throttle controller, catches the signal between the engine management and the gas pedal. The signal from the accelerator pedal is modified and is then sent to the engine management. This increases the response speed of the engine and allows you to accelerate the car faster.
A traditional type of throttle controller is one that uses fly-by-wire technology. This technology uses a sensor to detect the position on the pedal and then depending on that, sends a signal to the engine. Although this is still effective, it has a slower response compared to the newer technology and will have some unwanted pedal lag.
E-throttle controllers are very popular now since they give you much more control, and there is almost a delay in the acceleration with this type of controller. These electronic throttle controllers have mobile Bluetooth applications that will enhance the gas pedal response and will be better in making your car feel faster and more powerful.
Disadvantage of Throttle Controllers
Although this issue isn’t seen with all models, a lot of throttle controllers have issues when the controller is set to maximum power. At 100% power, you will not be seeing much difference in acceleration from pressing the pedal down more than 50%. This is because when half of the pedal is hit, the ECU reads maximum input.
Another issue might be finding space to set up the control box in a convenient location. With electronic throttle controllers, this is less of a problem because you can control the sensitivity using the Bluetooth app on your smart device.
Is Getting a Throttle Controller Necessary?
While it isn’t necessary to buy a throttle controller, we certainly would recommend you to get one for all the advantages it can provide you with. Whether getting one will make a large difference will depend on if your car has an economy/power button. If you do have this button on your vehicle, then it will do a lot of the things you would get from installing a throttle controller. However, you’ll still get more control with the latter.
We think that this device is a worthy investment because it makes your engine more responsive, and neither is it that expensive nor is it hard to install. When buying a throttle controller, be very careful because there are a lot of cheap ones that claim to be the best in the market. We wouldn’t suggest you go too cheap on it; you can get good ones at about $300.
Final Words
We have tried our best to explain what does a throttle controller do, and everything you need to know about them in detail in this article. This device can be a very worthy purchase. If you think your engine could be more responsive, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get a throttle controller!
Also, if you have time, check out our guide on how to fix crankshaft position sensor.
