Problem with Idle Air Control Valve? (DTC P050A)

[SlippyFist]

I had to take my car out earlier today to run some errands, and I noticed a few strange behaviors. First, there are times in between shifts where it sounds like the RPMs are going up. This doesn't happen too often and every time i get it, it's when I'm getting on the interstate, shifting from 3rd to 4th gear. I've always chalked this up to the rev hang that everyone bitches about, but it doesn't sound like the revs are 'hanging' it sounds like the gas pedal is giving input, like the RPMs are going up slightly before falling. This didn't bother me as it has happened every once in a while since i've had the car (which just now hit 15K miles).

However, I stopped somewhere for lunch, and when i started my car, the RPMs shot up past where they normally do around that ~1500 rpm line- it shot up to 2k rpms or maybe a little bit higher- again, it sounded like the gas pedal was being pressed but it wasn't- and it stayed there for a few seconds before dropping back down into the normal range. As i drove away I noticed right away that the pops and burbles were gone (i only drive the car in Sport+). There was no check engine light on or anything else that would indicate a problem.

When I got back home i threw a code reader on it and it came back with P050A, which is for the "Cold Start Idle Control System Performance" and a quick google search showed that when this pops, it's an indication that the Idle Air Control Valve may be having some issue. I cleared it and am gonna drive it around my neighborhood later when i get some time to reset the drive cycles to see if it comes back.

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else?

Sponsored

 

[Frenzal]

Your first paragraph: Yes, this happens to me almost every time I floor the car or I accelerate more "brutally" than usual.

Your third paragraph: You'll need more than a quick drive in your neighbourhood to do a drive cycle and clear the code. Unless you drive much, and in different conditions the same day, it may need a couple of days to clear...

 

[SlippyFist]

gotcha. i didn't mean literally my neighborhood, i was referring to the local area around where i live. i'm not gonna take it on the interstate yet though i drove it home with the code on the interstate and it was driving fine.

 

[UWU-mancer]

May I ask. What’s your elevation? Also, are things UWU with the car now?

I ask about the elevation because up here in Colorado I notice that behavior sometimes. Same with the fl5 homies. A tune seems to iron that out tho

I ask if things are UWU cuz UWU

 

[SlippyFist]

i have no idea what my elevation is; it's nowhere near colorado though. i'm a lot closer to sea level than you.

and i have no idea what UWU is lol i thought it was an anime girl thing

i drove the car for a bit yesterday; it wasn't enough for all the things to cycle or whatever. its raining here again so i have to wait before i can drive it more >_<

 

[ashmostro]

May I ask. What’s your elevation? Also, are things UWU with the car now?

I ask about the elevation because up here in Colorado I notice that behavior sometimes. Same with the fl5 homies. A tune seems to iron that out tho

I ask if things are UWU cuz UWU

You're outta control lmao

 

[UWU-mancer]

You're outta control lmao

I’m trying to help too tho. It’s balanced

 

[nateb55]

I had to take my car out earlier today to run some errands, and I noticed a few strange behaviors. First, there are times in between shifts where it sounds like the RPMs are going up. This doesn't happen too often and every time i get it, it's when I'm getting on the interstate, shifting from 3rd to 4th gear. I've always chalked this up to the rev hang that everyone bitches about, but it doesn't sound like the revs are 'hanging' it sounds like the gas pedal is giving input, like the RPMs are going up slightly before falling. This didn't bother me as it has happened every once in a while since i've had the car (which just now hit 15K miles).

However, I stopped somewhere for lunch, and when i started my car, the RPMs shot up past where they normally do around that ~1500 rpm line- it shot up to 2k rpms or maybe a little bit higher- again, it sounded like the gas pedal was being pressed but it wasn't- and it stayed there for a few seconds before dropping back down into the normal range. As i drove away I noticed right away that the pops and burbles were gone (i only drive the car in Sport+). There was no check engine light on or anything else that would indicate a problem.

When I got back home i threw a code reader on it and it came back with P050A, which is for the "Cold Start Idle Control System Performance" and a quick google search showed that when this pops, it's an indication that the Idle Air Control Valve may be having some issue. I cleared it and am gonna drive it around my neighborhood later when i get some time to reset the drive cycles to see if it comes back.

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else?

Here is some info specific to the car.

These cars don't have an idle air control valve and instead just use the throttle body to control idle speed. If you keep having issues I would check all of the intake plumbing and vacuum lines to make sure you don't have any leaks. Otherwise it sounds like it might need a trip to the dealer

 

[ashmostro]

Stock or modified car?

 

[SlippyFist]

Here is some info specific to the car.

These cars don't have an idle air control valve and instead just use the throttle body to control idle speed. If you keep having issues I would check all of the intake plumbing and vacuum lines to make sure you don't have any leaks. Otherwise it sounds like it might need a trip to the dealer

interesting. i haven't had any issues since i cleared the DTC with my code reader. i need to check and see if all the normal things reset.

Stock or modified car?

very lightly modded (intake that ive had on for almost 2 years now); no tune.

i got this a few days after having the dealership "fix" my heater (by replacing the stock expansion tank) so i was wondering if they broke something while they worked on it

 

[ashmostro]

i got this a few days after having the dealership "fix" my heater (by replacing the stock expansion tank) so i was wondering if they broke something while they worked on it

Dude, it's very likely they nicked something or didn't reseal a vacuum line properly. If they did the work and you're having problems like this, take it back to them and tell them to fix their fuckup.

 

[SlippyFist]

Dude, it's very likely they nicked something or didn't reseal a vacuum line properly. If they did the work and you're having problems like this, take it back to them and tell them to fix their fuckup.

would they have messed with the vacuum lines to replace the expansion tank? i actually put the PRL one on yesterday and i didn't have to mess with any of those, just the rubber hoses going to/from the tank. and now that i've done that, they'll turn around and say that whatever is wrong was caused by me, even though the problem cropped up before i did anything.

since clearing the code the issue hasn't come back, so i'm hoping it was some weird fluke, but i'm assuming if there is something that's actually wrong it'll pop that code again, to which i'll definitely take it up there.

i wanted to ask if anyone else has ever noticed their tach needle sorta "jiggle" right after a cold start. so you know how when you start the engine the tachs will over around 1500rpms before starting to slowly lower to operating revs. i've noticed that in those first few seconds the needle will sorta fluctuate quickly over a very small rpm range- like probably 10 - 20 rpms. it's hard to tell because of the scale of the tach tick marks. it's really small and is barely noticeable without deliberately starting at your tach needle, and once the revs start dropping towards its normal idle point it totally stops. i wanna say my car has always done this, but i just wanted to know if anyone else can confirm.

if i didn't explain that well enough maybe ill take a quick vid of it, but i'd rather not honestly lol

Sponsored