P2138 The two accelerator pedal position sensors disagree with each other
59 owner reports and 69 manufacturer filings across 56 model years from Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford and others.
Where P2138 shows up
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints| Model year | Filed under | Bulletins | Owner reports | Parts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Chevrolet Malibu | Engine | 4 | 17 | |
| 2017 Chevrolet Malibu | Engine | 4 | 16 | |
| 2018 Chevrolet Malibu | Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 12 | |
| 2018 Buick LaCrosse | Engine | 4 | — | |
| 2017 Buick LaCrosse | Engine | 4 | — | |
| 2018 Buick Regal | Engine | 4 | — | |
| 2016 Chevrolet Traverse | Engine | 1 | 2 | |
| 2018 Buick Encore | Engine | 1 | 1 | |
| 2017 Buick Encore | Engine | 1 | 1 | |
| 2017 Chevrolet Colorado | Engine | — | 2 | |
| 2024 Ford F-250 Super Duty | Engine | 2 | — | |
| 2024 Ford F-350 Super Duty | Engine | 2 | — | |
| 2024 Ford F-450 Super Duty | Engine | 2 | — | |
| 2016 Jeep Renegade | Vehicle Speed Control | — | 2 | |
| 2018 Buick Cascada | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2017 Buick Cascada | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2016 Buick Cascada | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2017 Buick Enclave | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2016 Buick Enclave | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2016 Buick Encore | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2018 Buick Envision | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2017 Buick Verano | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2016 Buick Verano | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2018 Cadillac CT6 | Engine | 1 | — | |
| 2016 Cadillac SRX | Engine | 1 | — |
Showing the 25 model years where P2138 appears most; it is on file for 56 in total.
A model year appears here because the code is named in its record, not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are mentions in the federal files, not failure rates — nobody publishes the denominator.
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P2138 by make
The same record, one make at a time: the model years, bulletins and owner reports that name P2138 on that maker’s vehicles.
What it gets filed under
When owners report it
miles, typically
Half of the 34 owner reports naming P2138 that carry an odometer reading fall between 44,000 and 75,000 miles. A code that shows up at 30,000 miles is a different proposition from one that shows up at 130,000, and that difference is the single most useful thing in this record.
What owners said
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners’ own words, one per nameplate, scrubbed of anything identifying. These are unverified reports filed with NHTSA — they are what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Ford’s repair documentation identified diagnostic trouble code P2138, associated with accelerator pedal/throttle position sensor correlation
P2138 is the associated check engine code and the vehicle enters limp mode DURING TRAVEL
Vehicle was returning Diagnostic code P0653 and P2138 it was taken to the dealership for servicing on 04/26/2025
Received a P2138 Throttle/Pedal position sensor/switch "D"/"E" voltage correlation code while driving that caused "Reduced Power" and "stabilitrak" errors
P2138 Throttle/pedal Position Sensor/switch "D"/"E" Voltage Correlation loss of power on the vehicle , gas peedle has been replaced , proplem persits his condition may be caused by water intrusion into the instrument panel (IP) to body…
69 manufacturer filings name P2138. Start with what the maker wrote down.
A code names the test that failed, not the part. A bulletin that names it is often a diagnosis someone has already written down — quote its number at the service desk.
Manufacturer filings that name it
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsService bulletins and campaigns whose filed summary names P2138.
- SSM 55044 Service bulletin2026-07-27 · Electrical System
- Some 2025-2026 Bronco/Ranger vehicles may exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2122, P2123, P2127, P2128, and/or P2138 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). The vehicle may or may not exhibit a perceived lack of power intermittently. This may be due to an issue with the following connectors associated with the accelerator pe
- SSM 53375 Service bulletin2025-02-12 · Unknown Or Other
- Some 2023-2025 F-Super Duty vehicles may exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2122, P2123, P2127, P2128, and/or P2138 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM).
- SSM 52420 Service bulletin2024-04-05 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- Some 2023-2024 F-Super Duty vehicles may exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2122, P2123, P2127, P2128, and/or P2138 stored in the powertrain control module (PCM). The vehicle may or may not exhibit a perceived lack of power intermittently. Perform a wiggle test of connector C1580 at the left rear of the engine compartment while the
- N182188250 02 Service bulletin2020-06-19 · Equipment — Electrical
- Special Coverage Adjustment - Certain 2016-2018 model year Chevrolet Malibu, 2017-2018 model year Buick LaCrosse, and 2018 model year Buick Regal vehicles may have a condition which affects the electrical connection to one of the vehicle?s accelerator pedal position sensors. If this electrical connection is interrupted, the accelerator pedal will still function, but the vehicle will enter a reduc
- N182188250 Service bulletin2019-08-15 · Vehicle Speed Control — Accelerator Pedal
- Certain 2016-2018 model year Chevrolet Malibu, 2017-2018 model year Buick LaCrosse, and 2018 model year Buick Regal vehicles may have a condition which affects the electrical connection to one of the vehicle?s accelerator pedal position sensors. If this electrical connection is interrupted, the accelerator pedal will still function, but the vehicle will enter a reduced engine power mode in which
- 070604019F Service bulletin2017-11-17 · Engine
- This technical bulletin provides repair information for repairing the IP to body harness connector to correct a customer concern for intermittent Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated with Reduced Engine Power displayed and DTC P2138 set.
What P2138 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIThe two accelerator pedal position sensors disagree with each other.
A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. It is the starting point of a diagnosis, not its conclusion — the same code has several possible causes and the cheap one is not always right.
Common questions about P2138
Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standardCan I keep driving with P2138 stored?
Nobody can answer that from the code alone, and a site that does is guessing. A steady light means a fault was logged and the car should be checked soon; a flashing light means a severe misfire — slow down and get it seen as soon as possible, because severe misfire can quickly damage the catalytic converter. The safe read of this page is the mileage and the components, not permission.
Does a code mean the car is recalled?
No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN, and none of them are triggered by a scan tool. If you want to know whether an open recall applies to one specific vehicle, check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — that is the only source that settles it.
Why do the counts here differ from other sites?
Because these are not estimates. Every number on this page is a count of documents in NHTSA's own files: manufacturer communications that name the code in their filed summary, and owner complaints that name it in the narrative. We do not model, weight or extrapolate them.
Will clearing the code fix it?
Clearing turns the light off and erases the freeze-frame data a technician would have used to work out what happened. If the condition is still there the code returns, usually within a few drive cycles, and the diagnosis now starts from less information than before.