Lightning symbol between two lines on dash

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

OK, don't know if this dash symbol has a name, but it looks like a lightning bolt between two slightly curved lines, on the lower left part of the dash.

Anyway, this symbol started flashing red and beeping just as I was pulling into my driveway tonight. No CEL and no stored or pending codes, and everything seems OK with the engine and running. I did try turning the engine off and restarting it, starts just fine but within a few secs that dash symbol starts blinking again, just idling the engine in park.

Did a search on the forum, and it seems that there could be a bunch of different things associated with this error light from the various threads. Alternator was one, but don't think it is that, got good voltage at the batt when running. Someone said wheel speed sensors, and I suppose it might be that but I usually see some ABS or other faults with those. Possible tranny issues, but again I did not notice anything obvious when driving it today.

Just curious if anyone here has a definitive answer about what might be causing this lightning symbol and how to fix it.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:23 am

Check the electrical plug connection for the accelerator pedal and make sure it has not gotten wet and has a good connection.

From the Manual:

UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL wrote:

This light informs you of a problem with the Electronic Throttle Control system. If a problem is detected the light will come on while the engine is running. Cycle the ignition key when the vehicle has completely stopped and the gear selector is placed in the P (Park) position. The light should turn off. If the light remains lit with the engine running your vehicle will usually be drivable, however, see your dealer for service as soon as possible. If the light is flashing when the engine is running, immediate service is required and you may experience reduced performance, an elevated/rough idle or engine stall and your vehicle may require towing. The light will come on when the ignition is first turned on and remain on briefly as a bulb check. If the light does not come on during starting, have the system checked by an authorized dealer.

PZKW108 · **Joined:** Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:23 pm **Posts:** 461

Steve777 wrote:

OK, don't know if this dash symbol has a name, but it looks like a lightning bolt between two slightly curved lines, on the lower left part of the dash.

Anyway, this symbol started flashing red and beeping just as I was pulling into my driveway tonight. No CEL and no stored or pending codes, and everything seems OK with the engine and running. I did try turning the engine off and restarting it, starts just fine but within a few secs that dash symbol starts blinking again, just idling the engine in park.

Did a search on the forum, and it seems that there could be a bunch of different things associated with this error light from the various threads. Alternator was one, but don't think it is that, got good voltage at the batt when running. Someone said wheel speed sensors, and I suppose it might be that but I usually see some ABS or other faults with those. Possible tranny issues, but again I did not notice anything obvious when driving it today.

Just curious if anyone here has a definitive answer about what might be causing this lightning symbol and how to fix it.

I don't think you will never get a definitive answer on this one, looks like the manufacturer wants it that way and even the dealership doesn't really know what it exactly imply !

From personal experience, I can trigger the light ( solid, not flashing with no limp mode.) by messing with the ECT !

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Well just to add to the confusion,went out this morning to take a closer look. No signs of wetness near the go pedal; no signs of rodent damage; and surprise surprise the ETC light is not on anymore??? Basically same conditions as last nite, relatively warm (for us this time of year, ~50F), dry and sort of sunny.

Who knows what triggered it, but it will likely have to wait until it shows again for more diagnostics.

turblediesel · **Posted:** Mon Mar 08, 2021 2:49 pm

Mine did that when it was newer and while it was loaned to a friend. Dealer couldn't find anything wrong and mentioned the throttle position sensor. On a forum somebody mentioned the light could be triggered by varying the throttle while starting and shortly after start. The idea was the computer got confused by throttle input while it was still doing it's initial startup self check.

Yours was running so maybe your throttle position sensor has begun to fail.

Mine never had a repeat.

PZKW108 · **Joined:** Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:23 pm **Posts:** 461

turblediesel wrote:

Mine did that when it was newer and while it was loaned to a friend. Dealer couldn't find anything wrong and mentioned the throttle position sensor. On a forum somebody mentioned the light could be triggered by varying the throttle while starting and shortly after start. The idea was the computer got confused by throttle input while it was still doing it's initial startup self check.

Yours was running so maybe your throttle position sensor has begun to fail.

Mine never had a repeat.

I also hear it could be trigger when applying gas and brake pedal at the same time !

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Well, looks like I'll have a chance to figure this out after all

Was heading into Denver this afternoon, when the ETC light started flashing again. I also was loosing power and the CEL light flashed on a couple of times but did not stay on. Pulled over to the side, turned the engine off and on, but the ETC continued to flash. Since the thought of driving thru Denver rush hour with an engine that would quit at random times wasn't too appealing, I turned around and headed home; and actually made it home just fine.

Again, I tried pulling codes, none in the ECU either stored or partial. Odd in that the CEL was coming on when I was loosing power, at least for a sec or two so you'd think there would be some codes associated with that.

Did some more checking at home, pulled the go pedal assembly. Looks fine as does its connector and wiring. Did open it up, wiped things clean and put it back together. No change. I suppose I could throw a new pedal assembly at it, but I have my doubts that's the issue.

One thought, a few weeks ago I had the classic symptoms of a dying crank sensor (engine just dies when under power then is fine again after a bit). I did buy a new cranks sensor but have not put it in yet (didn't think it was any rush). But I wonder if an ailing crank sensor could cause the ETC light to fire, and also explain the loosing power I had today. Thoughts?

The FSM has a whole diag section on the ETC light (around page 3897), mostly based upon whatever Pxxxx codes you got. I have no codes, but I was thinking of running thru some of those steps to check the pedal resistance/voltage levels and see if they look reasonable and smooth over the travel.

One other possibility I thought of was perhaps the brake pedal switch was firing on its own, even when the brake pedal wasn't being pressed. I suppose that might trigger the ETC even if you aren't hitting the brake and go pedals together...

FWIW, I do usually feather the go pedal a bit when I am cranking the engine to start it. Seems to start quicker that way on both my CRDs. Been doing that for like 5 years but never saw the ETC light before.

Any thoughts and ideas welcomed.

Billybob · **Posted:** Thu Mar 11, 2021 9:50 am

Have you checked the wiring harness behind the Fuel Filter Head Mounting Bracket for damage? :wink:

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sat Mar 13, 2021 10:16 am

I’ve I think I have some spare APPS around if you want to swap one in to see if it makes a difference. In northern co.

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Sir Sam. Just saw your post. Am interested. Email sent.

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Well, I think it has been long enough since my last "fix" on this problem that I can finally say this has been really fixed (hope I don't jinx this :lol:

).

Basically I had been playing tag with this issue for over a year, the problem would come and go, and usually by the time I got down to a shop with a good code reader there were no codes to find. What basically changed was a few months ago the problem started happening much more frequently especially after going over a bump, and I finally found a code reader which would display the codes (Torque didn't show any). The code reader is an Innova 3160RS, which does a very good job of reading the various controllers in our CRDs, and not any more expensive than many of the others which were not of any use at all (bought and returned a few of them before finding this one).

What the 3160RS showed me was the error code of which circuit was causing the ETC error (it was one of the accelerator pedal rheostats). I spent some time learning to read the FSM wiring diagrams, and followed the wiring path for that pedal resistor. Hard to believe since the pedal and the ECU are only about 3' in space apart, but Chrysler ran that wiring from the drivers side, over to the passenger side and back again, going thru 4 connectors along the way. Put a resistance meter with a noise maker on the wires at the pedal and ECU connectors and started wiggling wires. Turned out one of those connectors was loose, not fully apart but enough to make intermittent connections sometimes. Cleaned up all the connectors and put them back together, and things have been fine since.

Actually a pretty simple problem, but I had no idea that the wiring was taking the path it did, so most of my previous wire wiggling was in the wrong places, and of course did not show the problem. Anyway I mention this in case it might be of use to some others.

Lightning symbol between two lines on dash

Who is online