How to Calibrate Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) on Honda Civic, CRX, Integra etc

Here’s how to test if the throttle position sensor (TPS) on your Honda is operating correctly. This will work for most 90s Hondas including Civic, Integra, CRX, Shuttle etc that have D15, D16, B16 etc engines.

You will need a multimeter to test voltage.

1. Put the key in the “ON” position (engine not running):
2. Check the TPS to see if it has screws, or if it has the factory headless bolts. If it has the headless bolts, like on mine, you will most likely need to remove the throttle body to be able to cut a slit in the bolt head and use a flat head screw driver to remove them. You can still test the TPS regardless, you just won’t be able to adjust it if it has these:
3. Take your multimeter and set it to 20v:
4. Here is the TPS plug:To test the TPS you need to put the + probe of the multimeter on the red wire on the TPS plug (middle wire). It is easiest if you unplug the wiring and pull it up so you can see what you are working with:

   

   Here is the wire with the multimeter probe. I had to poke the multimeter probe through the wiring insulation so that it could get a connection, as my probe was too thick to push into the terminal:

   

   Plug the plug back in, keeping the + probe on that red wire:

   

5. Put the – probe on the negative battery terminal, or other ground location:
6. The multimeter should read close to 0.5v with the throttle closed:
7. And 4.5v with the throttle at wide open throttle (WOT):Also test to make sure the voltage climbs and drops smoothly as you open and close the throttle.

If any of this is not happening, you will either need to adjust the TPS by loosening the bolts and shifting it’s position until the readings match the numbers above, or replace the TPS.

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Mateja Matic

Having been in the car tuning game for 15 years, I'm now using all the knowledge I acquired to help other people learn and select the right parts for their cars through this blog.

Cars owned: Mk2 Golf with 1.8T swap, BMW E28 with M30B35 swap, BMW E36 328I Mtech, BMW 750IL, Nissan 300ZX, Honda Civic EF

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