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Old 04-18-2017, 11:28 PM   #21 (permalink)
Hersbird
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Missoula, MT
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Dark Egg - '12 VW Touraeg
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Well I finally got my first towing test of a little over 400 miles. I had a few problems. On the way over I got a sudden loss of power on the biggest hill and a check engine light. The code was P2121 which is a throttle position error. I was able to get it to come back to responsive and tried to clear the code but the check engine light stayed on and then cleared itself in about an hour. Then we stopped for 20 mins, and when pulling out we got a surge in power, then the dead pedal again and the light. The pedal was working like either 0%, then any application it shot to 20%, then any movement of the pedal higher did nothing, stuck at 20%. It went back to normal after about 5 mins but the light stayed for the rest of the trip. I ordered a new TPS that will be here tomorrow, but I also did a reset and TPS relearn while I was sitting 2 nights, and then today on the return trip I had no issues. The TPS was $275 and I wonder if I really need it or if it was a loose negative battery terminal (which didn't seem as tight as it could be during the reset procedure.)

Anyway as far as economy I got 10.73 MPG towing at about 65 most of the way on the day with the TPS acting up. The return trip (same route, maybe a little slower because of rain) I haven't refilled again yet but the gauge is a good 1/8 of the way higher so I'm hoping for better. The return trip is technically more uphill by about 1000 feet so that's a good sign. If it is that much more gas in there it will be more like 13.4 mpg so fingers crossed that TPS was messing with economy.

The way home I did have a different problem, a muffler clamp separated and opened the exhaust up. I was able to find a NAPA and got a little section of pipe and a couple of clamps and fixed it in a downpour in the parking lot but had to drive 50 miles trying to avoid 1650-1850 rpm in 6th where a deafening drone was present.

Overall not a good test, to many problems, to many variables. If it's only going to be 10.73 mpg I'm not happy, 13.4 would make me happy. The truck can certainly effortlessly pull the camper at least.

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