Help with cold starting

[cpg]

First wanted to say hello as I am new to the forum. I have done lots of research here and figured I should join. I have a 2006 Aveo special value with 79,000 miles. It has done the forced limited rpm in cold weather before but it wasn't often; now this winter it seems to be worse and has even started locking me down to 2000 rpm on the highway even after its warm and I drive almost 100 miles if it gets too cold outside. I'm sure others have had this issue as it seems pretty common for those in cold climates. Trouble codes are P2110, P2106, and P161B.

I am aware of the NHTSB bulletin about the throttle body icing with those codes and I can get a kit from my Chevy dealer for $395.

However, after it did it recently I found the throttle body had moisture and was dirty so I installed a new PCV valve and cleaned it as I read doing this often will keep the throttle from building moisture and icing. However, a few days later it had the cold start issue again so I pulled the intake hose and there was no ice or moisture in the throttle body and it was clean and moved freely but still ran poorly and limited rpm. I am now thinking this kit is not necessarily my main problem and that it may be the computer as it still ran okay after I warmed it up and restarted it. As a test I warmed up the car and engine bay then wrapped the computer in shop towels to keep it warm and I drove 170 miles on the highway in sub zero temps with no issues where before it would limit my rpm's and I would have to stop and restart the car as I said above. So my question is this an ECM issue or a throttle body issue? Can the computer cause these problems?

Basically, should I replace the computer and keep my throttle body clean or do the kit? Or both?

Hoping some of you have some experience with what works to solve this issue. I have solved the other issues with this car so I would like to get it to run well in the winter and keep it for a while.

Thanks for any help and again, hello.

[avguy]

Have you tested the battery and load-tested the alt? If not, I would do that just to rule them out as possibly being the problem (plus you want to know they're in good shape anyway). Quick and easy. Then, assuming they are both good, I would just hang on a Throttle Position Sensor. Very easy to do and also fairly inexpensive (around $40). If a new TPS doesn't solve the problem then one other thing that I've seen posted as a solution is where the throttle body itself is cracked or otherwise defective.

[cpg]

Guess I should have been more specific and said issues with cold running. The car will always start in cold weather (no battery or cranking issues) but it will go into a sort of limp mode where it runs poorly and will limit rpm's to about 1500. When its warm the car will run and accelerate fine so I can't imagine its an actual fault with the throttle motor and a safety bulletin says the issue is the throttle freezing but when I check it while acting up the throttle moves fine and isn't iced. Also, mine is a newer style with the drive by wire throttle body so there is no separate TPS or IAC. I have read this may be a computer issue so I am hoping someone here has had experience with this issue and can confirm what is causing the problem or offer a solution. Thanks for your help, I should have been more clear with my first post.

Here are the codes:

P161B: throttle motor control module-performance:
P2106: Throttle acutator control ctrl system-forced limited power
P2110: throttle actuator ctrl System-forced limited rpm
P2105: Throttle Actuator Control System- Forced Engine Shutdown

And the service bulletin:

2006 Chevrolet Aveo Engine And Engine Cooling Service Bulletin 277919
NHTSA: Action Number: 10032854 Service Bulletin Number: 277919

• Report Date:
  Jan 01, 2010
• Component:
  Engine And Engine Cooling

Summary: Chevrolet/pontiac: lxt, l91, poor acceleration, throttle body frozen shut and/or stuck closed, mil/ses light illuminated, dtc's p1516, p2106 and/or p2110 set in extremely low temperatures with high humidity condition after an initial cold

[avguy]

... Also, mine is a newer style with the drive by wire throttle body so there is no separate TPS or IAC. ....

I haven't taken a close look at the TB on my Daughter's '06, but Rockauto is showing the same TPS part number for the '06 as the one that's on my '05. And that TPS is something that I replaced on mine a couple of years ago - 2 screws and it's off the TB.
But there is a different Throttle body part # for these 2 Aveos. I wonder what that's all about?
Are you certain the TPS isn't replacable on your '06? Not saying this will fix your problem, or that it's not the ECM. But I'm not understanding how wrapping the ECM in towels could change anything. Have you tried to alternate that covering on and off, in order to see if it worked just by coincidence? JMO, but I'd really be looking more at some problem related to the TB, rather than the ECM.

[Aveo5_boy]

Almost two weeks ago I had my 2008 Aveo5's throttle body replaced by the dealer to cure a P2106 & P2110 code. So far no issues or CEL has come back. I think the throttle body replacement will work for you. If you need instructions of replacement I can post them for you.