Lately I’ve been hearing a lot of questions about what does a tps sensor do. Therefore, I wanted to write an article to help you understand what this component does and common types.
So what exactly is a throttle position sensor?
Actually, the throttle position sensor (TPS sensor) is an important automotive electronic component used to detect the position and angle of the engine throttle body. It sends this information to the vehicle’s computer system to help control the engine’s fuel supply, ignition timing and air flow, ensuring that the engine can run properly and minimizing exhaust emissions.
What are the types of TPS sensor?
There are several types of throttle position sensors in automobiles, motorcycles and other types of vehicles. The most common of these are voltage sensors, resistance sensors and current sensors. There are also some photoelectric sensors, magnetic sensors and pressure sensors, which have different principles but are all used to detect the position of the throttle.
| Sensor Type | Characteristics |
| Voltage | Uses an electronic sensor to convert throttle position into voltage signal, high accuracy. |
| Resistance | Uses an electronic sensor to convert throttle position into resistance signal, wide range of applications. |
| Optical | Uses photoelectric effect to detect throttle position, high accuracy, but sensitive to dust and other contaminants. |
| Magnetic | Uses magnetic induction to detect throttle position, high accuracy, but needs to work in specific magnetic field. |
| Pressure | Detects intake pressure to calculate throttle position, less affected by environment but with slightly lower accuracy. |
| Universal | Can be used for multiple sensor types, but needs manual adjustment to fit different vehicle models. |
Have you understood the throttle position sensor? If you still have questions, welcome to leave a message to exchange. In the next article, we will explore the common faults of throttle position sensors and how to diagnose and replace them.
