I have both P2115 and P2116. What does that mean?

It usually means the cause is something the two sensors share rather than a failure in either element. Two independent sensors do not normally fail the identical test at the identical moment. What they do share is the pedal's physical rest position, the sensor ground, the 5-volt reference supply, and the module's stored learned values. So the pair together points you at an obstruction under the pedal, a binding pivot or weak return spring, a resistive ground, a bad reference, or a relearn that was never performed — and, if none of those, at the pedal assembly as a unit rather than at one sensor.

Do I have to replace the whole pedal assembly, or just the sensor?

On the overwhelming majority of vehicles the sensors are integrated into the pedal assembly and are not sold separately, so the assembly is the part. That is not as bad as it sounds — the pedal is typically held by two or three nuts under the dash and the connector unplugs, so labor is modest. The real cost driver is the part itself, which varies widely by platform. What you should avoid is replacing it before ruling out the free causes, because an obstruction under the pedal and a missing relearn both produce this exact code.

Why does the check engine light come on before I even drive?

Because the rest-position check runs at key-on. The module wakes up, reads the sensor with nothing pressing on the pedal, and compares that value against what it learned. If the value is wrong, it has all the information it needs before the vehicle has moved an inch. That is actually useful to you as a diagnostic clue: a fault that presents at key-on with the pedal untouched is about the rest position and the sensor's baseline, not about how it behaves under your foot.

Is it safe to drive with P2116?

Move it, but do not depend on it. The module has capped engine output because it is no longer certain where 'no pedal' sits, so acceleration is poor and the vehicle may not reach highway speed. That is a genuine hazard when merging or crossing traffic. There is also nothing preventing the other sensor from faulting too, and if both go the module can force idle or shut the engine down. Brakes and steering are unaffected, so a short low-speed drive to a shop is reasonable, but normal use is not.

OBD-II trouble code

P2116: Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor 'E' Minimum Stop Performance

The same rest-position test as P2115, run on the other sensor. The 'E' channel is not reporting the learned value it should read when the pedal is fully released, so the module no longer knows exactly where 'no request' is.

High severityPowertrainThrottle / IdleDrivable short-term

Quick facts

System: Powertrain
Category: Throttle / Idle
Severity: High severity
Drivable: Usually safe to drive short-term
Repair cost range: $0 – $550
DIY difficulty: Intermediate DIY

What does P2116 mean?

The accelerator pedal assembly on a drive-by-wire vehicle contains two independent position sensors, designated 'D' and 'E' on many platforms and 'A' and 'B' on others. Two exist so the engine control module can cross-check them: if both agree, the module trusts the driver's request and opens the throttle to match. Each sensor is also checked individually, and one of those checks is the rest-position check — does this sensor read its learned value when nothing is pressing on the pedal? P2116 sets when the 'E' sensor fails that check.

The single most valuable piece of information in diagnosing this code is not in the code itself, it is in what else is stored with it. P2116 by itself points at the 'E' sensor or its own individual circuit — its signal wire, its portion of the connector, or the sensor element itself. P2116 together with P2115 changes the picture entirely: two independent sensors failing the same test at the same time is far more likely to mean they share a cause than that both elements failed simultaneously. What they share is the pedal assembly's physical rest position, the sensor ground, the reference voltage supply, and the module's stored learned values. So the pair of codes sends you to the pedal, the grounds, and the relearn, while a single code sends you to that one sensor's circuit. Reading that distinction correctly is worth more than any individual test on this list.

Because the rest position is a physical thing, the physical causes come first. Anything holding the pedal off its stop will set this code on perfect hardware: a thick or unsecured floor mat, a bottle or piece of cargo that has rolled underneath, road debris, packed snow in winter, a worn or binding pivot, a weak return spring, or a bracket bent by an impact. All of those are cheap or free to correct, and all should be ruled out before a part is ordered.

The electrical causes are the familiar ones. A sensor element can wear and drift so that its whole output shifts, which fails a rest-position check while still tracking normally across the sweep. A resistive sensor ground raises the entire signal range. An out-of-specification reference voltage does the same. Corrosion, a backed-out pin, or a chafed signal wire produces intermittent versions of all of it. And low system voltage from a weak battery or a failing alternator skews every sensor reading at once, which is why testing the battery early is not a formality.

One bookkeeping cause is worth checking before anything else: if the pedal assembly, throttle body, battery, or module software changed recently, the module's stored rest value may simply be stale, and running the relearn procedure can clear the code without parts.

Common causes

Floor mat, cargo, debris, or packed snow holding the accelerator pedal off its rest position
Worn or binding accelerator pedal pivot preventing a full return
Weak or broken pedal return spring
Internal wear or output drift in the 'E' position sensor
Pedal or throttle relearn procedure never performed after a related repair, battery disconnect, or reflash
High-resistance sensor ground shifting the entire signal range
Out-of-specification 5-volt reference supply from the control module
Corroded connector, backed-out pin, or unseated locking tab at the sensor
Chafed, pinched, or partially shorted wiring in the pedal harness
Bent pedal bracket or a harness disturbed during carpet or under-dash work
Low system voltage from a weak battery or failing alternator skewing sensor readings
Failed pedal assembly — the sensors are integrated and not serviceable separately

Symptoms

Check engine light on, often at key-on before the vehicle is driven
Reduced engine power warning on the dash
Limp mode with throttle response capped regardless of pedal input
Engine idles normally but will not respond fully to the accelerator
Idle slow to settle after lifting off the pedal
Hesitation, surging, or inconsistent response when accelerating
Vehicle unable to reach highway speed
P2115 or a fail-safe code from the P2104 / P2105 / P2106 / P2110 group stored alongside it

Diagnostic steps

1.Check under the accelerator pedal first. A mat, bottle, piece of cargo, debris, or packed snow holding the pedal even slightly open fails the rest-position check on healthy hardware and costs nothing to fix.
2.Scan every module and record all stored and pending codes with freeze frame data. Note carefully whether P2115 is also stored — that single fact redirects the entire diagnosis.
3.If both P2115 and P2116 are present, work the shared items first: the pedal's physical rest position, the sensor ground, the 5-volt reference, and the stored learned values. Two independent sensors rarely fail the same test at the same moment.
4.Confirm in service data which physical sensor your manufacturer designates 'E'. On most vehicles it is inside the accelerator pedal assembly rather than on the throttle body.
5.Ask what changed just before the light appeared. A recent pedal or throttle body replacement, battery disconnect, or reflash makes a stale learned value the likely cause and the relearn the likely fix.
6.Test the battery and charging system, including AC ripple. Low or noisy voltage shifts sensor reference values and produces rest-position faults on good sensors.
7.Operate the pedal by hand and release it. It should return smoothly and completely to its stop with no binding and no hesitation at the end of travel.
8.With the key on and engine off, read the 'E' sensor's rest value in live data and compare it against the service specification, not against an assumption of what looks reasonable.
9.Perform a voltage-drop test on the sensor ground under load, and verify the 5-volt reference at the connector against a known-good chassis ground.
10.Graph the 'D' and 'E' signals together while sweeping the pedal slowly through full travel and releasing it several times. Watch whether the 'E' trace returns to the same rest value each time or settles at a different point.
11.Inspect the connector for corrosion, moisture, spread or backed-out terminals, and a seated locking tab, then wiggle-test the harness with live data displayed.
12.If wiring, ground, and reference all test good and the rest value remains out of specification, run the relearn procedure; if the code returns, replace the pedal assembly and relearn again.

Repair cost

$0 – $550

Zero is a real outcome here: clearing an obstruction from under the pedal, reseating a connector, or performing the relearn procedure fixes a meaningful share of these with no parts at all. Diagnosis alone typically runs $75-$150. Wiring or connector repair lands around $100-$300 including diagnostic time. An accelerator pedal assembly is the usual part when the sensor has drifted or the pivot is worn, at roughly $150-$400 installed on mainstream vehicles and up to $500 or more on luxury platforms or where the pedal is integrated into a larger assembly. The pedal is normally held by two or three nuts, so labor is modest once the diagnosis is confirmed, but budget for the relearn procedure on top.

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DIY vs shop

This is an intermediate DIY job. It usually involves diagnostic steps, specialty parts, and some careful work in tight spaces. If you have the tools and a service manual or trustworthy video for your specific vehicle, it is achievable in a weekend. Otherwise, a competent independent shop will be faster.