We reside in South Africa. Chinese and Indian manufactured vehicles are gaining huge market share as a result of purchase prices compared to European, Japanese and Korean vehicles. In 2015 we acquired a GWM (Great Wall, 1.5 Turbo intercooled) sedan at less than what I paid for my new BMW R1200RT motorcycle 5 years earlier. In general happy with the GWM, it's roomier than the competing Toyota, and torque much better. Handling not so much.
Then around 2021 it starting going in what seemed to be limp mode for a few seconds. This happened at any time, no pattern, just total loss of power but engine would continue idling. Had the agents look at it. They suggested spark issue, did a few tests but no confirmation. Over the next 2 years had the car at 7 shops, connected to diagnostics, but no solution.
Late 2023 the agents again diagnosed, suggested new throttle body at R32,000. Then I saw an advert for the Autel (Automotive Intelligence) hobbyist scanner for R10,500. Bought one and connected it to the car while driving. Selected to record the following parameters live… 1. Electronic Accelerator Pedal signal, 2. Actual engine torque (Nm) 3. Electronic throttle signal 4. Mass airflow 5. Vehicle speed (no idea why).
Did a few trips with the Autel connected, but the fault did not manifest. Then on one occasion I managed to record the incident. Except for Vehicle speed, the other parameters closely mirrored the input (the dark colored Electronic Accelerator Pedal Signal. Then in the attached video at around 1 minute, for a second, despite depressing the accelerator pedal, no reaction from the other parameters.
This did not make any sense. However, a few days later while cruising the mountain passes here on the motorcycle I recalled about reading reports around the early/mid 1980’s about, if memory serves me well, Toyota’s being involved in fatal accidents as a result of accelerators ‘sticking’. This was still early days of electronic engine management development. Apparently at that time the engine management system did not react to brake activation. (The right foot cannot be on the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time?).
I recalled that the change was then made for the brake signal to override the accelerator pedal signal to allow only engine idle speed. By the end of the bike ride, I resolved to remove the GWM’s brake light switch activated by the brake pedal and check it. Tested ok. Then replaced, asked the wife to check the brake lights while I fiddled with the brake pedal. No effect. I then resolved to adjust the brake switch further out by two threads, which was max allowed.
Voila!!! Loss of power something of the past 18 months, saved R20,000 and stil have use of the Autel. The China is once again a pleasure to drive!
See video here...
Then around 2021 it starting going in what seemed to be limp mode for a few seconds. This happened at any time, no pattern, just total loss of power but engine would continue idling. Had the agents look at it. They suggested spark issue, did a few tests but no confirmation. Over the next 2 years had the car at 7 shops, connected to diagnostics, but no solution.
Late 2023 the agents again diagnosed, suggested new throttle body at R32,000. Then I saw an advert for the Autel (Automotive Intelligence) hobbyist scanner for R10,500. Bought one and connected it to the car while driving. Selected to record the following parameters live… 1. Electronic Accelerator Pedal signal, 2. Actual engine torque (Nm) 3. Electronic throttle signal 4. Mass airflow 5. Vehicle speed (no idea why).
Did a few trips with the Autel connected, but the fault did not manifest. Then on one occasion I managed to record the incident. Except for Vehicle speed, the other parameters closely mirrored the input (the dark colored Electronic Accelerator Pedal Signal. Then in the attached video at around 1 minute, for a second, despite depressing the accelerator pedal, no reaction from the other parameters.
This did not make any sense. However, a few days later while cruising the mountain passes here on the motorcycle I recalled about reading reports around the early/mid 1980’s about, if memory serves me well, Toyota’s being involved in fatal accidents as a result of accelerators ‘sticking’. This was still early days of electronic engine management development. Apparently at that time the engine management system did not react to brake activation. (The right foot cannot be on the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time?).
I recalled that the change was then made for the brake signal to override the accelerator pedal signal to allow only engine idle speed. By the end of the bike ride, I resolved to remove the GWM’s brake light switch activated by the brake pedal and check it. Tested ok. Then replaced, asked the wife to check the brake lights while I fiddled with the brake pedal. No effect. I then resolved to adjust the brake switch further out by two threads, which was max allowed.
Voila!!! Loss of power something of the past 18 months, saved R20,000 and stil have use of the Autel. The China is once again a pleasure to drive!
See video here...
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