Did you just buy a new car or truck that has an annoying response delay when you step on the gas pedal? Are you noticing hesitation when you try to accelerate and wish there was a way to have an instant response from your engine? Believe it or not, this is a common complaint among drivers of all types of vehicles: from cars, to trucks, to SUV’s, and even off-road vehicles like Can-Am. Luckily, there’s an excellent solution for this acceleration lag issue, and it’s called the Pedal Commander Throttle Response Controller.

The culprit of this acceleration delay problem plaguing so many vehicles is the advent of the electronically controlled throttle, often referred to as the “drive by wire” throttle control system. In the early to mid-2000’s, most vehicle manufacturers started doing away with the classic throttle cable system, which used a physical cable to connect the accelerator pedal to the engine, and replaced it with an electronic throttle control (ETC) system; this new design sends signals to your vehicle’s ECU through electronic wires, rather than physically pulling open a throttle body in the engine compartment. The electronic throttle system was adopted for numerous reasons, the primary ones being: reduced weight, lower cost, less components, better control, better fuel economy, and extra safety features. However, because this system often comes with fixed programming from the vehicle manufacturer, you’re practically stuck with whatever throttle response curve the engineers decide to go with. Even if your car or truck has a “sport mode” button or dial that quickens throttle response, it’s often lacking for driving enthusiasts who want truly immediate engine response when they step on the gas. This is where the Pedal Commander really shines.

Throttle response is the amount of time it takes for your engine to open up and accelerate after you’ve pressed down on the accelerator pedal. For obvious reasons, vehicle makers have programmed in a period of delay between the time you depress the pedal and when your engine actually responds. This might become especially irritating when you’re trying to pass someone on the freeway, or accelerate up a steep grade, and your engine just won’t give you the immediate power that you need.

When you press down on the accelerator, it sends a signal to your ECM (engine control module – sometimes referred to as PCM or ECU) which instructs your ECU on exactly when and how much to accelerate the RPM’s of the motor. The problem with the way this response behavior is programmed from the factory on most vehicles, is that the ECU will severely limit the output potential of your motor.

When you press the pedal to the floor, you’d expect your throttle body to open 100%, right? Without a Pedal Commander throttle response controller, the ECU won’t open up the throttle body completely, even with the pedal pressed to the floor. This means that no matter how far you depress the gas pedal, your engine won’t be producing the full amount of power that it’s capable of, because the throttle body may be only opening 70-80% instead of 100%.

Equally as important as how much your throttle body is opening, is the amount of time between when you press the accelerator pedal and when your throttle body actually opens up. By default, most drive-by-wire throttles delay this time in order to make acceleration smoother, improve fuel economy, and prevent sudden acceleration. This is fine for an everyday driver who’s not interested in speed or acceleration, but it’s a nuisance for driving enthusiasts who want to be able to have fun and get the most out of their vehicle. With the Pedal Commander, you have complete control of your vehicle’s throttle response curve, meaning YOU get to choose how much and how quickly your engine responds, not the engineers who designed your throttle for the “everyday driver”.

The Pedal Commander Throttle Control Module solves acceleration delay through a simple Plug and Play design that does not re-program your ECU, and will not void your vehicle warranty. Unlike performance chips, tuners, and programming units, the Pedal Commander leaves your ECU’s software untouched, and doesn’t require any complex, lengthy processing of writing a performance tune file. The Pedal Commander connects in-line, between your ETC system (electronic throttle control) and the ECU (engine control unit). By connecting between the output of the pedal position sensors on the accelerator pedal, and the input of your ECU, the Pedal Commander is able to take the information from the pedal position sensors and interpret it through a high-speed control unit. If you choose the most aggressive throttle response mode, the Pedal Commander will advance the response time received from the throttle sensors, and send the optimized signal to the ECU, resulting in much quicker acceleration. With 4 different modes (eco, city, sport, and sport+), and 9 different sensitivity levels in each mode, the Pedal Commander gives you 36 different ways in which you can optimize that pedal position signal before it’s sent to your car or truck’s ECU.

First and foremost, we are proud to be an authorized, registered dealer of Pedal Commander products. You can buy with confidence knowing that we are selling new Pedal Commander inventory that is fully backed by the manufacturer’s 2 year product warranty. Secondly, we offer free expedited shipping on all Pedal Commander units, meaning that you’ll receive your Pedal Commander in a matter of 2 to 3 business days from when you place your order. Lastly, we will thoroughly check your vehicle’s compatibility before sending out your Pedal Commander in order to make sure you get the correct part number for your specific vehicle. This is all part of our dedication to a personalized customer service experience. When you purchase from TotalZParts.com, you can be sure you’ll receive a product that is made to function great with your vehicle.