Auto Repair Articles

Question:

I keep having my 1997 GMC Savana 6.5liter turbo  van shut down to idle with “Service Throttle Soon” light on the dashboard. What is the problem and about how much will it cost for repair? 

Answer:

Its either the accelerator assembly. the throttle actuator, or one of the circuits between these components and the computer. I do not think you need a computer at this point.

You have to allow an hour of diagnostic time plus parts and replacement labor. I can’t see this cheaper than $300.00

On-Board Diagnostics, or OBD, in an automotive context, is a generic term referring to a vehicle’s self-diagnostic and reporting capability. OBD systems give the vehicle owner or a repair technician access to state of health information for various vehicle sub-systems. The amount of diagnostic information available via OBD has varied widely since the introduction in the early 1980’s of on-board vehicle computers, which made OBD possible. Early instances of OBD would simply illuminate a malfunction indicator light, or MIL, if a problem were detected—but would not provide any information as to the nature of the problem. Modern OBD implementations use a standardized fast digital communications port to provide myriad realtime data in addition to a standardized series of diagnostic trouble codes, or DTCs, which allow one to rapidly identify and remedy malfunctions within the vehicle.