P2163–P2167 Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor A Maximum Stop Performance
The part responds, but not the way the ECU expects under these conditions - a wear or plausibility problem rather than a dead circuit.
Can you drive it? The engine light will stay on and the car may run in a reduced-power mode. Read the freeze-frame data to see the conditions the fault was logged under.
Which code is which
Same fault, different cylinder or bank — diagnosed the same way. Several set together usually means one shared cause.
| Code | Definition | Severity |
|---|---|---|
P2163 | Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor A Maximum Stop Performance | Investigate soon |
P2164 | Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor B Maximum Stop Performance | Investigate soon |
P2165 | Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor C Maximum Stop Performance | Investigate soon |
P2167 | Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor E Maximum Stop Performance | Investigate soon |
The definition
P2163: Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor A Maximum Stop Performance.
P2163 is a manufacturer-specific powertrain code (the engine or gearbox). Its meaning is set by the carmaker rather than by the SAE standard, so a generic OBD-II reader will often show it as an unknown code or misread it.
What to check first
Cheapest and fastest checks first:
- Read the freeze-frame data stored with the fault - engine speed, load and temperature at the moment it logged tell you whether this happens cold, hot or under load.
- Check the connector at the part for corrosion, and that it is fully seated.
- Clear the code and see whether it returns, and under what conditions.
What actually causes this on a VAG
The same electronic throttle system as the closed-stop code, but at the other end of the range: during its self-check the control unit didn't see position sensor A reach the value it expects at the fully open end of travel. Either the plate isn't getting all the way there, or the sensor isn't reporting the full sweep. On the road that can show up as reduced power, a flat spot at larger throttle openings, or a warning light with the car capping engine output until it is corrected. It is a sensing and adaptation fault rather than a mechanical engine problem.
Most likely causes, in order
- Adaptation lost or never performed. The throttle learns its own end stops, and that learning is invalidated by cleaning the throttle body or fitting a different one. On older Volkswagen Audi Group cars a battery disconnection could also wipe it; on later ones the values are usually kept, so check rather than assume. If the code arrived immediately after any of that work, run the throttle basic settings or adaptation procedure with diagnostic software first - it frequently clears the fault with no parts and no dismantling.
- Carbon or an obstruction limiting travel. Deposits around the plate, or something in the intake tract, can stop the plate reaching its fully open position. Take the intake pipe off and look at the plate and bore for a heavy black ring, and check nothing has been left or drawn in behind it. Clean it and then re-adapt, in that order.
- Sensor supply or earth problem. The throttle position sensors run from a low-voltage reference supply provided by the control unit. If that supply or its earth is compromised, the reported position falls short of full scale even though the plate is moving correctly. The tell-tale is other sensor faults, or a sensor reference voltage code, stored at the same moment - sensors commonly share a reference, so one bad supply upsets several at once.
- Worn throttle position sensor. The track inside the throttle body wears at the ends of its travel and stops delivering the full sweep. It isn't a separate part on these throttle bodies, so this means replacing the whole unit and it belongs last - after the adaptation has been run, the plate has been proved to move fully, and the wiring and reference supply have been checked.
Worth knowing: Read every stored code before deciding anything. If a group of unrelated sensor faults appeared at the same moment, or a sensor reference voltage code is stored alongside this one, a shared supply or its earth is the far more likely culprit - one wiring repair clears the lot, while replacing a throttle body on that evidence fixes nothing and costs a great deal. And whatever is done in there, finish with the throttle adaptation routine.
Reading the code is the easy part
A code names the circuit that complained. What tells you why is watching the sensor behind it while the engine runs — and that is where a code reader stops and a diagnostic tool starts.
VAGPULSE reads every module in a VW, Audi, Skoda or SEAT — not just the engine — shows the live measuring blocks behind this fault, gives you the freeze-frame conditions it was logged under, and clears it once you have fixed it. It also does what a generic OBD reader cannot on a VAG: service resets, coding, adaptations, and Stage 1–3 flashing with your original file saved first.
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Common questions
What does P2163 mean?
P2163 means Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor A Maximum Stop Performance. The part responds, but not the way the ECU expects under these conditions - a wear or plausibility problem rather than a dead circuit.
Can I drive with P2163?
The engine light will stay on and the car may run in a reduced-power mode. Read the freeze-frame data to see the conditions the fault was logged under.