NEED HELP PLEASE. 2 WEEKS AGO I PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT AND MY CAR DIED, NO WARNING JUST IDIOT LIGHT AND IMMEDIATE DEATH. TOWED HOME, PULLED CODES (THX TO GENERIC CODE READER FROM WORK) THEY WERE 122 AND 1635. PULLED THE TPS AND REPLACED. CLEARED CODES (AGAIN THX TO WORK) 2 DAYS LATER CAR DIES AGAIN... NO WARNING. DISCONNECTED BATTERY TO CLEAR CODES TO GET CAR HOME. PULLED CODES AGAIN NOW JUST 1635. PLAYED THIS GAME FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THEN STARTED GETTING IDIOT LIGHT BUT NO DEATH. THOUGHT OK ILL TAKE THAT FOR NOW. BETTER THAN DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY EVERY TIME RIGHT?!? NOT... TODAY, STARTED CAR NO IDIOT LIGHT. COOL OFF WE GO... NOT.... GOT ABOUT150 FEETCAR DIES... NO WARNING. PULL CODES 122 IS BACK, MIND YOU WE JUST CHANGED THAT LAST WEEK. AND WE STILL HAVE 1635. SO WE CHANGED THE TPS AGAIN TODAYAND NOW WE GET NOTHING, IT CRANKS BUT WONT START.PLEASE HELP I LOVE MYSATURN AND I MISS HER WHEN SHE'S SICK.

 

Remove the #1 and #4 coil wires, have someone crank the starter while you observe for sparking across the coil towers. A lack of sparking is indicative of a failing/failed crank position sensor (cps). Its located behind and above the starter with one 10mm bolt.


DTC P1635 5 Volt Reference Circuit


DTC P0122 Throttle Position (TP) Sensor Circuit Low Voltage


The two above codes may be due to the 5v power from the ECM/PCM that may be due to a loose connection somewhere. Visually inspect the wiring to the ECM/PCM and verify that the connections are secured and not partially disconnected/connected. You may have to remove the negative battery cable before wiggling wire harnesses. be sure to check the ground connections also. A very good example was when someone had a very strange engine starting/running problem. It was accidently found to be the hold down screws that mounts the ECM to the engine on top by the air cleaner. A picture accompanied the post and clearly showed missing screws except for one. The one screw provided the ground for the ECM. The poster didn't realize that the metal body of the ECM must be grounded to the engine as part of the electrical connection. His problem disappeared as he tightened the one mounting screw. Edited by: ducky

 

THANKS DUCKY FOR THE HELP. ENDED UP REPLACING TPS SENSOR TWICE MORE. THEN CALLED IN THE MECHANIC TO TEST THE ELECTRICAL STUFF. HE SAID IT WAS STILL THE TPS SENSOR IT WASNT READING ENOUGH VOLTS. SO WE TOOK IT BACK TO AUTOZONE AND RETURNED IT. WENT TO SATURN DEALER AND PURCHASED THE SAME THING FOR $10 MORE . BEEN RUNNING FOR A WEEK NOW WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL. GUESS AUTOZONE HAS A BAD BATCH OF TPS SENSORS OR SOMETHING.