Fault Code Lookup › Powertrain codes › P2101
P2101 Powertrain · generic OBD-II
Throttle Actuator Control Motor Circuit Range/Performance
P2101 is a standard code covering engine, transmission, fuel and emissions. It names the system that logged the fault, not the part that failed. Below: which cars owners reported it on, what happened, and recalls on those cars, from 12 complaints filed with NHTSA. Updated November 3, 2026.
- 12owner reports
- 11car models
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention a fire
- 2012–2022model years
Which cars get code P2101?
Every model whose owners mentioned P2101 in a complaint, most reports first. Each year opens that car's full problem report. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.
Audi A3
1 reportChevrolet Equinox
1 reportChevrolet Silverado
1 reportDodge Journey
1 reportFord Escape
1 reportFord Transit Connect
1 reportGMC Sierra
1 reportJeep Wrangler
1 reportMercedes-Benz C-Class
1 reportVolkswagen Tiguan
1 reportWhere does P2101 show up?
By brand
- Chevrolet4
- Ford2
- Audi1
- Dodge1
- GMC1
- Jeep1
- Mercedes-Benz1
- Volkswagen1
Component the owner filed it under
Is there a recall for P2101?
The others concern the component owners file this code under (Engine) on the same cars; they may or may not relate to the code. Recall repairs are free; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles equipped with a 6.2L V8 gas engine. The connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing…
2022 Chevrolet Silverado, 2022 GMC Sierra. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.
Engine Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles equipped with 2.0L Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle engines. A loss of communication may cause an engine shutdown.
2021 Jeep Wrangler. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot vehicles manufactured May 9, 2016, to July 15, 2016. The crankshaft or camshaft sensor may only work intermittently, causing the engine to stall.
2016 Dodge Journey. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.
Engine Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured October 5, 2011, through June 2, 2013 and equipped with 1.6L engines. The affected vehicles may experience localized overheating of the engine cylinder head which may cause cracks that could allow oil to…
2013 Ford Escape. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.
Engine And Engine Cooling This is an update to a recently announced recall. Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through November 26, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines, as well as certain model year 2013 Fusion vehicles manufactured from February 3, 2012, through…
2013 Ford Escape. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.
Engine And Engine Cooling Ford is recalling certain model year 2013 Escape vehicles manufactured from October 5, 2011, through August 31, 2012, equipped with 1.6L engines. The cylinder head cup plug (freeze plug) may become dislodged resulting in significant loss of engine coolant.
2013 Ford Escape. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.
What happened when owners saw P2101?
10 of the 12 reports, spread across the models above, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
This submission is an additional report related to NHTSA complaint #11714381. At approximately 55,000 miles, my 2021 Chevrolet Blazer experienced a sudden throttle body failure while driving. The vehicle entered reduced engine power/limp mode without warning and acceleration was significantly limited. This created a safety concern while driving in traffic, particularly when merging and crossing intersections. Diagnostic code P2101 (Throttle Actuator Position Performance) was present. A Chevrolet dealer confirmed an internal throttle body failure and replaced the throttle body assembly. Although the repair was completed, this failure occurred at relatively low mileage for a critical engine…
2013 AUDI A3 TDI., SERVICED FOR 65K MAINTENANCE 10/31/15. NEXT DAY , THE CAR BEGAN ABRUPTLY LOOSING FORWARD MOMENTUM UNDER ACCELERATION, AND DIED IN AN INTERSECTION. TOWED TO AUDI, AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS BAD DIESEL. THEY FLUSHED THE DIESEL AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. (KROGER DENIED MY BAD DIESEL CLAIM.) ON 11/2/15, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SAME ISSUES. DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS THE ENGINE SPEED SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. ONE MONTH LATER, 11/6/15, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, WITH THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT FLASHING. THIS TIME THE DEALER SAID IT IS WAS THROTTLE SENSOR FAULT. THEY HAD TO ORDER THE PART, AND TOLD ME IT WAS 'SAFE TO DRIVE'. IN THE TIME BETWEEN, I WOULD REGULARLY EXPERIENCE THE…
I WAS DRIVING ON I-71N AROUND 3:30 ON MY WAY HOME DURING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 65 WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DISPLAY SHOW AN ENGINE LIGHT AND A MESSAGE SAYING REDUCING POWER MODE AND THE SPEED DROP TO 20 EVEN THOUGH I HAND MY FOOT ON THE GAS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. LUCKILY I HAD JUST MOVE LANE FROM IN FRONT OF A 18 WHEELER AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER STILL IN DANGER BECAUSE THE LANE I MOVED TO STILL HAD TRAFFIC COMING. I TURN THE CAR OFF SINCE IT WOULD NOT GO AND SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. I STARTED IT UP AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE DEALER SERVICE. THEY FOUND THAT FOLLOWING CODE P2101, P2119. THEY PERFORM DIAGNOSTIC TEST ALL WIRING TO THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR TEST OK REPLACE THROTTLE BODY…
Year: 2022 Make: Chevrolet Model: Silverado 1500 Engine: 2.7L TurboMax (L3B) VIN: [XXX] Mileage at Failure: 119,139 Description of Problem: 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 2.7L L3B TurboMax engine is completely inoperable due to Cylinder 4 exhaust roller follower failure causing exhaust camshaft failure and bent exhaust valves. Vehicle shakes severely, will not accelerate, check engine light on, and has gone into limp mode. Diagnostic codes P0304 (Cylinder 4 misfire) and P2101 (electronic throttle actuator fault triggered by engine shaking and limp mode) were recorded. All external components including spark plugs, coils, and injector harnesses were inspected and ruled out as causes. Failure…
I was on the freeway and all of a sudden these lights came on and my car slowed down to a very dangerous pace and would not accelerate. This is only 2 weeks after getting 2 new tires on it. VEHICLE HAS CODES P2118, P2072, P2112, P2110 AND P2101. ALL CODES DEAL WITH THE With Customer: ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM AND MOTOR. RECOMMEND TAKE TO A FULL SERVICE SHOP TO HAVE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM LOOKED AT AND INSPECTED, BUT ISSUES DO NOT ARISE BECAUSE OF THE TIRES BEING STALLED. CURRENT LIGHTS ARE FLASHING Electronic SYMBOL, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHT. VEHICLE IN LIMP MODE PTS, TRIED TO CLEAR LIGHT TO SEE IF IT WOULD FIX ISSUE BUT AS SOON AS VEHICLE TURNS ON, ALL…
WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND DISPLAY "ENGINE MALFUNCTION". IT WOULD SPUTTER BUT NOT STALL. TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING RETURNED THE SUV TO NORMAL. THIS OCCURRED 3 MORE TIMES OVER THE NEXT WEEK. HOWEVER, ON FEB 16, THE SUV DID NOT RESET AND THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON. THE NEXT DAY, BEFORE WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF. NONETHELESS, THE MECHANIC SCANNED THE SUV AND CODES P2101 AND P2111 APPEARED. BOTH CODES REFER TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY AND IT BEING STUCK OPEN. FORD HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ETB AND THERE IS THEIR "CONSUMER SATISFACTION SERVICE #13N03 THAT ADDRESSES THE ETB FLAW. NOW FOR THE FUN…
ON START UP AFTER IT HAS BEEN WARM AND THEN GOTTEN COLD VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND ECU STORES CODES P2101,P2111 AND P2135. THROTTLE BODY BECOMES DISABLED AND VEHICLE WILL RUN POORLY AND NOT ACCELERATE. REPLACED WITH NEW FORD THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY PART# 8S4Z9E926B @ THIS TIME IN DECEMBER. FIXED PROBLEM AND VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE. FIX LASTED UNTIL 2/17/14 AND ABOUT 6000 MILES AND NOW HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AGAIN WITH SAME CODES. I SEE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT ESCAPES HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. IS THE THROTTLE BODY A SHARED PART? THIS PROBLEM COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF IT WAS TO HAPPEN WHILE OUT DRIVING. FORTUNATELY FOR US IT HAPPENED BOTH TIMES ON COLD START UP. *TR
P2101 Reduced Engine Power Idle instabilitystruggling to idle correctly, hunting/surging slightly, and possibly going into reduced-power protection mode. While driving engine reducing power, struggles then surges forward. Ive taken it to GMC however the techs say they have to experience the situation themselves and are unable to diagnose
June 5, 2025 stopped at red light turned green tried to turn left and the jeep flashed the electric red bolt symbol and check engine light came on lost all power would not go when gas pedal was pushed. a/c lost power started blowing hot air and engine turned off. Restarted engine finally got it to go enough to pull out of traffic. Turned off engine opened hood checked battery cables, fuses and all was intact. Started engine drove slowly to the Autozone store to have the diagnostic test done and it showed P2101 power train system throttle actuator A control motor circuit range /performance detected unexpected voltage on the throttle actuator control motor circuit also C121C-00 ABS torque…
Throttle body and accelerator pedal position sensors failed. Component is available for inspection upon request. Independent service center confirmed failure on 1/3/2026 with 6 stored fault codes: P2101, P0122, P0222, P0123, P0223, P2135. Vehicle shuts off while driving without warning at various speeds. Loss of power steering and power brakes occurs when engine stalls, creating immediate risk of crash, injury or death to occupants and other drivers. Manufacturer customer service confirmed in writing 4 times that engine shutting off while driving is a safety issue and that these exact codes match Service Campaign 2022090005. On 1/7/2026, manufacturer denied campaign applies to this vehicle…
P2101: questions drivers ask
What does code P2101 mean?
P2101 is a generic OBD-II powertrain code. Its standard definition is "Throttle Actuator Control Motor Circuit Range/Performance". The code tells you which system set the fault, not which part failed; the owner reports on this page show what it meant in practice for 11 car models.
Which cars get code P2101 most often?
In NHTSA owner complaints, P2101 is mentioned most for the Chevrolet Blazer (2), Audi A3 (1), Chevrolet Equinox (1), across 11 models and model years 2012 to 2022. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.
Is there a recall for code P2101?
No NHTSA recall text names P2101 directly. 6 recalls on the cars that report this code concern the same component owners name most (Engine); they may or may not relate to the code. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What should I do if my car shows P2101?
Write down when the code appeared and what the car did (warning lights, loss of power, noises, speed, weather). Check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls, ask a dealer or independent workshop to read the stored freeze-frame data before anyone clears the code, and keep the repair order. If the car loses power in traffic, stop driving it. CarHooq does not diagnose: these are owner reports and official recall notices, not repair advice.
How this page was made
CarHooq read the text of every owner complaint filed with NHTSA for 19 US and European brands (model years 2012 onwards) and picked out the diagnostic trouble codes owners wrote down. This page lists every mention of P2101. The definition is the generic SAE J2012 wording; a carmaker may use the code slightly differently. Nothing here is a diagnosis. Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain), retrieved November 3, 2026. How CarHooq reports are made.
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