SORTING RULES - THROTTLE / ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR "D"/"E" VOLTAGE CORRELATION (P2138) COMPLAINTS, WITH THE SISTER CODES P2135 P2136 P2137 P2139 P2140
PulsCar analysis of NHTSA public data, October 2026. License: CC BY 4.0

Fingerprint of the rules text below, taken when it was written and before any complaint was sorted: 21e610c333e40eb876e55b55ac01c016db00cfe19ddbe4094827c342e4c770a8 (2026-10-14T08:29:46Z)


Written before any complaint in the set was sorted.

## Pool (how the complaints were found)
NHTSA complaints received 2015-01-01 to 2026-10-04 (782,908 narratives; 2026-10-04 is the latest received date in the
flat files). A complaint is in the pool if its narrative matches any of the following case-insensitive text searches
(R2 and R3 also need one of their context words somewhere in the same narrative):

1. R1 - the code P2138 by any spelling (letter O for zero, a space, hyphen or period after the P, suffix 00), or the bare number after a code word:
   `(?<![A-Z0-9])P\s?[-.]?\s?[0O]?\s?2\s?1\s?3\s?8(?:\s?[-:]?\s?[0O]{2})?(?![0-9])`
   `\b(?:code|codes|dtc|dtcs|error|cel|coded|fault)\W{0,6}#?\s?[0O]?2138\b`
2. R1b - a sister correlation code (P2135 P2136 P2137 P2139 P2140), by the same spellings.
3. R2 - the accelerator pedal sensor in owners' words: `pedal\s*(?:position\s*)?(?:sensor|assembly|module)|accelerator\s*(?:pedal\s*)?(?:position\s*)?(?:sensor|assembly|module)|throttle\s*pedal\s*(?:position\s*)?(?:sensor|assembly|module)|gas\s*pedal\s*(?:position\s*)?(?:sensor|assembly)|\bapp\s*(?:sensor|module|assembly)|pedal\s*position|\bpedal\s*(?:potentiometer|pot)\b`
   together with: `reduced\s+(?:engine\s+)?power|limp|\bcode|\bdtc|check\s+engine|engine\s+light|\bcel\b|\bmil\b|wrench|replac|fail|faulty|\bbad\b|defect|malfunction|diagnos|no\s+response|not\s+respon|unresponsive|stall|hesitat|correlat|voltage`
4. R3 - the throttle position sensor in owners' words: `throttle\s*position\s*sensor|\btps\b|throttle\s*sensor`
   together with: `reduced\s+(?:engine\s+)?power|limp|correlat|\bdtc|\bcode\b|wrench`

Background for the reader (not a sorting rule): modern cars have no cable between the gas pedal and the engine. Sensors in
the pedal assembly report how far the pedal is pressed, and the engine computer opens the electric throttle. Each of these
has two or three separate position signals so the computer can compare them. P2138 means the computer compared two of the
pedal's (or throttle's) signals, "D" and "E", and they do not agree with each other. P2135 is the same kind of fault for the
throttle position signals "A" and "B"; P2136 to P2140 are other pairs. The usual result is reduced power ("limp mode") or a
wrench or engine light. Owners say "accelerator pedal sensor", "pedal assembly", "gas pedal sensor", "throttle position sensor",
"reduced engine power".

For each complaint record exactly one CATEGORY and four yes/no FLAGS. You see an excerpt around the matching words
(and the whole narrative when nothing matched). Code what the excerpt supports; if it is cut off at a point that
matters, code what is stated.

## RELEVANCE
N - Not a pedal/throttle position-signal event on THIS vehicle. Use N when:
    - the match is false (the words appear in a list of unrelated parts, a phone "app", or a different system);
    - the narrative is about sudden unintended acceleration, a stuck or trapped pedal (floor mat, pedal arm), pedal feel,
      brake-pedal or clutch-pedal problems, with no statement that a pedal/throttle position sensor, a P2135-P2140 code,
      or a reduced-power / lost-throttle-response event occurred;
    - the narrative only lists the words among many other complaints, with no statement that this vehicle had a
      pedal/throttle sensor fault, code, warning or repair;
    - the words come from another vehicle, a news story or advice, not this vehicle;
    - a pedal or throttle sensor is mentioned only as a part checked or replaced during a repair for something clearly
      unrelated, with no link to the complaint.
    NOT N (relevant) when, on this vehicle: P2138 or a sister code (P2135-P2140) is named; OR the accelerator pedal
    sensor/assembly or the throttle position sensor/throttle body is described as failed, replaced, blamed, diagnosed or
    suspected by a shop/dealer/mechanic as the cause of reduced power, no throttle response, a wrench/engine light or a
    code; OR such a symptom (reduced engine power, throttle not responding, wrench light with no cause) is described together
    with a pedal/throttle sensor code or wording, even if the cause is unknown.

## CATEGORY (one letter) - what was found or done, on this vehicle

P - Pedal sensor or pedal assembly. The accelerator pedal position sensor / accelerator pedal assembly was named by a shop,
    dealer or mechanic as the cause, or was replaced and that is the repair stated.
T - Throttle body or throttle position sensor. The throttle body, throttle actuator or throttle position sensor was named
    as the cause or was replaced/cleaned and that is the repair stated.
W - Wiring or connector. A connector (pedal, throttle, or an instrument-panel/body harness connector), pigtail, wiring
    harness, ground, fuse/relay or power feed was named as the cause or was repaired/replaced (this includes a recall or
    special-coverage connector repair for the pedal sensor).
C - Computer or software. The engine computer (ECM/PCM/TCM or another module) was replaced or reprogrammed, or a reflash /
    recalibration / relearn was the only repair stated (no pedal or throttle part named as cause).
O - Another cause. A repair outside the pedal, throttle, wiring and computer was named as the cause (battery, alternator,
    engine mechanical, fuel, transmission, another sensor, a different system), or the code or symptom was traced to
    something else.
K - Checked and cleared. The shop or dealer inspected or tested and found no fault, or only cleared the code, with
    no repair; or the light went out by itself and nothing was done.
U - No diagnosis or repair stated. The event is reported but nothing was found or done yet, or the complaint does
    not say; also an owner's own guess, a forum, a code reader or scan with no shop/dealer/mechanic mentioned.

Precedence when more than one fits: use the FINAL repair the complaint reports as having fixed it (or, if it never
got fixed, the cause the shop named last). A part replaced that the owner says did not help does not count. If
several parts were replaced together and no single one is named, use the most specific named part in the order
W, P, T, C. Among O, K, U: O before K before U. A cause the owner merely guesses at does not count (an owner's
"probably the pedal sensor" is U unless a shop or the dealer said it, or the part was replaced by someone).

## FLAGS (yes/no)

limp - the complaint states reduced engine power, limp mode, a wrench or "reduced power" message, the throttle not
    responding to the pedal, or stuck at idle / no acceleration, because of this fault.
stall - the complaint states that the engine stalled, shut off, or the vehicle lost drive while moving or at a stop
    because of this fault.
recall - the complaint states that a recall, special coverage, service campaign, extension, TSB or "known issue"
    notice for this vehicle was performed, offered, missing, refused, asked about, or is blamed or credited for this event.
returned - the complaint states that after a repair or a reset the same light, code or symptom came back, or the
    repair did not fix it.

## OUTPUT

One CSV line per complaint, in the order given, no header line:
`odino,category,limp,stall,recall,returned,note`
category is one letter (N P T W C O K U); flags are yes or no (for N, all four flags are no);
note is at most 15 words, no commas, saying what decided the category.

==============================================================================
ADDENDUM WRITTEN AFTER THE COMPLETENESS SEARCH, BEFORE THE SECOND BATCH WAS SORTED
Fingerprint of the addendum, taken before the second batch was sorted: 89d92e8f665cbecab2710db4091c14850a50e8796bdd81d6c82d021a2cb46a0a (2026-10-14T09:15:56Z)

An independent search of the whole complaint file found about 2,500 complaints the first text searches did not catch. About 2,000 of them
blame a throttle body, a throttle motor or an "electronic throttle" for reduced power (codes such as P2101, P2111, P2112, P2119,
P2104, P2118), and name no throttle position sensor, no pedal sensor and no pedal/throttle sensor code. That is the throttle
motor, a different fault from the position-signal disagreement this study is about (P2138 and its sister codes). These
complaints were NOT sorted for this study. The second batch is limited to complaints that add one of:
- a pedal or throttle position sensor circuit code (P2122 P2123 P2127 P2128 P0120-P0124 P0220-P0224 P2135-P2140) written in any spelling the first search missed;
- the accelerator pedal named by a shop, dealer, mechanic or owner as the part replaced or blamed, without the words "sensor" or "assembly";
- the throttle position sensor (TPS) named with a different context word than the first search required;
- the Ford F-150 loss-of-throttle-response / hill-descent / wrench cluster that matches Ford SSM 46829 (it lists P2122-P2125).
Clarifications that apply to both batches:
C1 A throttle body (motor/actuator) named as the cause with no sensor wording and no sensor code is category T only if the narrative also mentions the throttle position sensor, a position-signal code or the pedal; otherwise N.
C2 Pedal wording with no sensor, code, repair or diagnosis, only a symptom (reduced power, no response), is N (nothing ties the event to a position signal).
C3 For the Ford loss-of-throttle-response cluster, relevance needs the narrative to name the pedal, a wrench light with loss of throttle response, or the bulletin; the cause categories are as before.

==============================================================================
RULES USED TO SETTLE DISAGREEMENTS (each decision in the published complaints file names the rule applied in the column rule_applied)
- R1 an owner's, code reader's, parts-store's or forum's statement of the cause, or a repair the owner only plans, with no shop/dealer/mechanic naming or doing it -> U.
- R2 a part named as the cause by a shop, dealer or mechanic, or replaced/cleaned, is the category when it is the repair stated as fixing it, or the last cause named. A part replaced that the owner says did not help does not count (the codebook precedence): the category then follows what was found or done last, else U.
- R3 the pedal, throttle or sensor only in a list of three or more parts changed or checked, with nothing singling it out (no code, no diagnosis naming it) -> N.
- R4 sudden-acceleration, hesitation or surge complaints where no pedal/throttle sensor fault, code or repair is stated -> N; a dealer who found nothing after a pedal/throttle sensor recall or notice -> K.
- R5 a shop that checks, tests or finds nothing, or says the event is a non-issue, -> K; a parts-store reading is not a shop.
- R6 flags are yes only when the excerpt states them: limp = reduced power, limp mode, throttle not responding / no acceleration / power cut; stall = engine stalled, shut off, or lost drive (power steering/brakes lost, car cutting off) while moving; plain hesitation is neither.
- R7 recall = yes also when a bulletin or notice number (TSB, PIP, GM letter) for the fault is named as seen, offered or asked about.
- R8 returned = yes only when a repair, clear or reset was done and the same light, code or symptom came back, or the owner says the repair did not fix it; repeated episodes before any repair are not returned.
- R9 recall=yes only when a specific recall/notice was performed, offered, seen, named, asked about or reported missing on a direct question ("has this become a recall"); a general remark that the maker should recall, or a plan to check later -> no.
- R10 a code read anywhere that names a sensor, with no shop/dealer/mechanic saying the part is the cause and no replacement -> U.
- R11 an instrument cluster (or another non-engine/non-drivetrain module) named as the cause is O; C is only for engine/drivetrain computers.
- R12 a pedal/throttle sensor mentioned only for other vehicles' cases or as generic advice, while this vehicle's cause is something else -> N.
- R13 a repair attempt by the owner (replacement, cleaning) after which the owner says the symptom went on counts as returned=yes; the category then follows R2.
- R14 returned = yes when an earlier repair for the same symptom is stated as not fixing it, even if a later repair is the final one stated.
- R15 recall = yes only for a notice about THIS vehicle; a recall on another car mentioned in passing is no. A mechanical pedal-assembly or mount defect with no sensor, code or power-loss statement -> N.
- R16 a codebook-explicit case beats a generic rule: a light that went out by itself with nothing done is K even when a parts store read the code.
- R17 when the final category is N all four flags are no; a flag difference on an N complaint is settled as no.
- R18 a shop or dealer that refused or was unable to inspect (no test done, nothing found) is not K; with no cause or repair stated -> U.
- R19 a statement that no recall exists / the VIN is not under recall for this vehicle's fault counts as recall=yes (codebook "missing"); a remark that the maker ought to recall stays no (R9).
- R20 reduced power or limp named only inside quoted TSB, recall or bulletin text, not as the owner's own event -> limp no.
- R40 recall = yes only when the notice concerns the pedal/throttle/power-loss fault of this event (or is blamed or credited for it); a recall named for an unrelated part (gas tank, PTU) -> no.
- R41 applying addendum C1/C2: throttle-body / throttle-control-light / pedal wording with no sensor, no position-signal code and no pedal part tied to the event -> N, all flags no (R17).

==============================================================================
POOL HISTORY
- First search: 971 complaints.
- Completeness search (a separate search of the same file, run after the first batch was sorted): about 4,300 narratives were read and 2,506 more complaints were proposed. 2,080 of them blame the throttle motor or throttle body and name no position sensor, no pedal and no position-signal code; the addendum above left them out as a different fault, and they were not sorted. 211 were added: pedal wording 110, throttle position sensor wording 44, the Ford F-150 loss-of-throttle-response group 27, sensor codes 30.
- Final: 1,182 complaints; 915 relevant, 267 not relevant. A relevant complaint is one that describes a pedal or throttle position-signal event on the owner's vehicle.
- After the settling of disagreements, a consistency check changed 81 rows under the same rules (57 of them rows on which both sortings had agreed): one cause row, the rest reduced-power or stall marks checked against the whole text.