OBD-II Code · Powertrain
P2105
Throttle Actuator Control System - Forced Engine Shutdown
Severity
critical
Highest on our scale. Expect major repair cost if it is ignored.
Can you drive it
Not for long
Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it.
Indicative cost (USD)
$300–$1,500
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
PCM disabled engine because the throttle actuator system has an unrecoverable fault.
How a shop works this
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.
Note every code that is set, not just this one.
Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.
Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.
Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.
Confirm the fault is current rather than history.
Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.
Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
That order is what a shop checks first for this code — wiring and connections before the component they run to, because a connector costs nothing to inspect and is a common answer.
If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.
Common symptoms
- Engine shuts off
- Limp mode
- Multiple throttle codes
Likely causes
- Failed throttle bodyMost common
- Failed APP/TPS
- PCM driver fault
Read the full diagnostic procedureP2105 is the most aggressive throttle code in the TAC family — the ECM has commanded a forced engine shutdown because it detected a fault so severe t…
P2105 is the most aggressive throttle code in the TAC family — the ECM has commanded a forced engine shutdown because it detected a fault so severe that running the engine at all is judged unsafe. This is usually thrown when the throttle blade is reading wide-open while the pedal reads closed, when both TPS sensors disagree by more than 30%, or when the motor is drawing massive current trying to move a seized blade. The car will start, run for a few seconds, then shut down on its own; restart attempts will repeat the same cycle. Cheapest-first is misleading here because P2105 means something is mechanically wrong — but you still start with the visual: pop the throttle body off and inspect for a bent blade, a broken return spring, debris jammed in the bore, or a chunk of intake snorkel sucked in. Clean it only if it's reusable. Backprobe both TPS signals against ground and verify they sweep opposite directions through the full blade range; backprobe both APP signals at the pedal and verify the same. If either pair is correlated wrong (both going the same direction, or one stuck flat), the sensor or harness is the fault.
Vehicle-specific patterns2007-2011 Toyota Camry / RAV4 with the 2AR-FE 2.5L is the famous P2105 vehicle — this is the unintended-acceleration recall era, and Toyota's respons…
- 2007-2011Toyota Camry / RAV4 with the 2AR-FE 2.5L is the famous P2105 vehicle — this is the unintended-acceleration recall era, and Toyota's response was an aggressive forced-shutdown threshold; pedal-position sensor mat interference (the all-weather floor mat trapping the pedal) and worn pedal-sensor wipers both trigger P2105, and the recall remedy was a redesigned pedal assembly.
- 2005-2010VW Jetta / Passat / Audi A4 2.0T (BPY, BWT) sees P2105 from internal throttle-body failures where the motor housing cracks and lets the blade flop free of the gear train.
- 2008-2014Dodge Caravan / Town & Country 3.6L Pentastar throws P2105 from a known wire-chafe in the throttle harness where it routes over the intake manifold. Critical: P2105 is the one throttle code where you should not just clear-and-drive — verify the throttle body moves freely by hand with the connector unplugged, verify both sensor pairs track correctly on a scope, and run the relearn before returning the car to the customer. A misdiagnosed P2105 is a runaway-engine lawsuit.
Look up another code
P2105 — frequently asked
What does a P2105 code mean?
PCM disabled engine because the throttle actuator system has an unrecoverable fault.
What causes a P2105 code?
Common causes: Failed throttle body; Failed APP/TPS; PCM driver fault.
What are the symptoms of a P2105 code?
Typical symptoms: Engine shuts off; Limp mode; Multiple throttle codes.
Is it safe to drive with a P2105 code?
Not for long. Driving on this one risks further damage. Get it to a shop rather than carrying on with it. Estimated repair: $300-$1,500.
How do I diagnose a P2105 code?
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed. 1. Note every code that is set, not just this one. 2. Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under. 3. Confirm the fault is current rather than history. 4. Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
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