Does my car even have an 'F' position sensor?

Quite possibly not. Most passenger vehicles use two pedal channels and one or two throttle channels, which is why P2117 is far less common than the codes around it. Where an 'F' sensor does exist it is usually either a third redundant channel on a system built with extra cross-checking, or a sensor on a second throttle body or second pedal on multi-throttle, commercial, or heavy-duty applications. Look up the designation in service data for your exact year and engine before you order anything — this is the one code in the family where identifying the part is a real step rather than a formality.

What does 'minimum stop performance' mean?

It refers to the rest position: the mechanical stop the sensor sits against when nothing is being requested — the accelerator pedal fully released, or the throttle plate against its closed hard stop. The module stores a learned value for what the sensor should read there and rechecks it. P2117 means the 'F' channel is not reporting that value. Note that the sensor can be electrically perfect and track its partner channels faithfully across the whole sweep and still fail this check, because the only thing being tested is where zero sits.

Why would the light come on at key-on, before I drive?

Because the rest-position check runs at key-on with the pedal untouched. The module wakes up, reads the sensor, and compares it against the learned value — it has everything it needs before the vehicle moves. That is a useful clue: a fault that appears at key-on with no pedal input is about the sensor's baseline and the mechanism's rest position, not about how the sensor behaves under your foot.

Can I drive with P2117?

You can move the vehicle, but treat it as a limited-use situation. The module has capped engine output because it is no longer confident where 'no request' is, so acceleration is poor and the vehicle may not reach highway speed, which is a real hazard when merging or crossing traffic. If additional position sensor codes join it, the module can escalate to forced idle or an engine shutdown. Braking and steering are unaffected, so a short low-speed trip to a shop is reasonable — daily use is not.

OBD-II trouble code

P2117: Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor 'F' Minimum Stop Performance

The rest-position check failed on the 'F' sensor — a third position channel that only some vehicles have. Confirming that your platform even uses an 'F' sensor, and where it lives, is the first real step rather than an afterthought.

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 – $800
DIY difficulty: Intermediate DIY

What does P2117 mean?

The SAE standard reserves a run of letters for throttle and pedal position sensors, and 'F' is the last of the group covered by the minimum-stop tests. Most passenger vehicles use only two pedal channels and one or two throttle channels, so on those platforms an 'F' sensor does not exist and this code will never set. Where it does appear, it is usually one of two things: a third redundant channel on a system designed with extra cross-checking, or a position sensor on a second throttle body or a second pedal on multi-throttle engines and some commercial and heavy-duty applications. Because assignment varies, the honest first step is to look up what your manufacturer designates 'F' on your specific year and engine — every subsequent test depends on that answer, and buying a part before you know it is how money gets wasted on this code.

What the code itself means is the same test applied to that channel. The minimum stop is the mechanical rest position: the accelerator pedal fully released, or the throttle plate resting against its closed hard stop. The module stores a learned value for what the sensor should read at that position and rechecks it. P2117 sets when the 'F' channel's rest value falls outside the acceptable window.

The distinction from the surrounding codes is worth holding onto. Circuit codes say a signal is electrically unacceptable. Correlation codes say two sensors disagree with each other. A minimum-stop code says the signal may be electrically healthy and may track its partners faithfully across the whole sweep, and still be wrong about a single specific thing: where zero is. A sensor whose entire output has drifted slightly, or a mechanism that no longer returns all the way to its stop, produces exactly that result.

So the causes divide cleanly. Physical: anything holding the pedal or plate off its stop — a floor mat, cargo, debris, packed snow, a worn or binding pivot, a weak return spring, a bent bracket, or carbon buildup around a throttle plate on the throttle-body variants. Electrical: sensor wear and output drift, a resistive ground that lifts the whole signal range, an out-of-specification reference supply, corrosion or a backed-out pin, and low system voltage skewing everything at once. Administrative: a stale learned value after a pedal, throttle body, battery, or software change, which the relearn procedure corrects with no parts.

Because the module cannot be certain where 'no request' is, it will limit engine output rather than act on a baseline it doubts. Expect reduced power and a fail-safe code alongside this one.

Common causes

Floor mat, cargo, debris, or packed snow holding the accelerator pedal off its rest position
Worn or binding pedal pivot or a weak return spring preventing a full return
Internal wear or output drift in the 'F' position sensor
Relearn procedure never performed after a pedal, throttle body, battery, or software change
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 sensor harness
Carbon buildup preventing full plate closure, on platforms where 'F' is a throttle body sensor
Second throttle body or linkage out of adjustment on multi-throttle applications
Low system voltage from a weak battery or failing alternator skewing sensor readings
Failed pedal or throttle body assembly — these sensors are integrated and rarely serviced 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 but does not respond fully to the accelerator
Idle higher than normal or slow to settle after lifting off
Hesitation or inconsistent response from one pedal press to the next
Vehicle unable to reach highway speed
Other position sensor codes such as P2115 or P2116, or a fail-safe code, stored alongside it

Diagnostic steps

1.Confirm in service data that your vehicle actually has an 'F' throttle or pedal position sensor, and identify exactly which physical sensor carries that designation. Many platforms do not use one, and assignment varies by manufacturer, year, and engine.
2.Check under the accelerator pedal for a mat, bottle, cargo, debris, or packed snow holding it off its stop. It costs nothing, it is a safety issue independent of the code, and it fails this exact test on healthy hardware.
3.Scan every module and record all stored and pending codes with freeze frame data. Other position sensor codes stored alongside point toward a shared ground, reference, or mechanism rather than toward this one sensor.
4.Ask what changed just before the light appeared. A recent pedal or throttle body replacement, battery disconnect, or module reflash makes a stale learned value the likely cause and the relearn procedure the likely fix.
5.Test the battery and charging system, including AC ripple. Low or noisy voltage shifts sensor reference values and sets rest-position faults on good sensors.
6.Operate the pedal or, on throttle-body variants, the plate 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.
7.With the key on and engine off, read the 'F' channel's rest value in live data and compare it against the service specification rather than against an assumption.
8.Perform a voltage-drop test on the sensor ground under load, and verify the reference voltage at the connector against a known-good chassis ground.
9.Graph all available position channels together while sweeping the pedal slowly through full travel and releasing it several times. Watch specifically whether the 'F' trace returns to the same rest value on every release.
10.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.
11.On multi-throttle applications, confirm the second throttle body and its linkage are correctly seated and free of deposits before condemning a sensor.
12.If wiring, ground, and reference all test good and the rest value stays out of specification, run the relearn procedure; if the code returns, replace the assembly that carries the 'F' sensor and relearn again.

Repair cost

$0 – $800

Zero is a real low end — clearing an obstruction from under the pedal, reseating a connector, or performing the relearn procedure resolves a genuine share of these with no parts. Diagnosis typically runs $75-$150, and it is worth more on this code than on most, because identifying which physical sensor your platform calls 'F' is itself part of the job. Wiring or connector repair lands around $100-$350. If the 'F' sensor is in a pedal assembly, expect roughly $150-$400 installed on mainstream vehicles and up to $500 on luxury platforms. If it is on a throttle body, cleaning with relearn runs $80-$200 and a replacement assembly $250-$750 installed. The wider range here reflects the fact that the part depends entirely on which sensor your manufacturer assigned the letter to.

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Open the Repair Cost Estimator with accelerator pedal position sensor replacement preselected. Adjust labor rate and vehicle category to fit your situation.

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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.