Been searching around for a throttle controller for the old suby outback and saw that auto barn have a good deal.
It’s not a historical low price ($160), but still a good deal
Might also be worth noting that HikeIt are also on special, https://hikeit.com.au/collections/throttle-controllers
So take your pick with the comparisons
Is this different to stepping on it quickly?
Other people might say otherwise, however no not really (have one installed in my Colorado). With that being said I personally find it's more comfortable to have a touchier throttle for day to day driving than having to put the foot into it every time I want the slug to move and would buy it again any day finishing in a Y.
So like an aftermarket sport mode, got it.
@Bad Company: Kind of, but you have finer control.
Take my wife’s Skoda for example, putting you foot on the peddle a tiny bit you’re at 100% so you can use a controller to calm that down.
And it’ll work the opposite way.
@athk: Can you set it so that the pedal goes to 100% throttle as soon as you touch it?
Most cars have a snow mode that dulls the car down alot
Yes completely.
totally transforms old cars. just make sure to let the engine warm up before thrashing.
Is it effective for new cars? i have 2022 Toyota Prado GXL and thinking about the Throttle Controller?
I think you’ll see a difference in response times. Give it a go and just return it if it doesn’t do what you want it to do.
I've got the HikeIt on a CRV 2020 which I bought at the same time as the car in 2020 but only installed it a few months ago and it makes a hell of a difference. I wish I had started using it from the start! Makes it feel like a whole new car, way less sluggish and more zippy. Reduces turbo lag.
Great brand too.
How does this compare to ultimate evcx 9
Pretty sure the ultimate is the more techie version that allows for more granular options. The standard EVC is more set and forget.
Thanks, will wait for evcx sale,
Saw it for $250 the other day but hoping it will get cheaper
The HikeIt IT-XS their premium device is on sale for $199 with free shipping just FYI.
How is this different to engaging sport mode on my Camry?
Probably not suitable for a Camry, it’s more about attempting to remove throttle delays with electric throttles.
Sports mode should or could give you full throttle response.
A controller like is great for finer control.
I find in sport mode it kicks the engine on the moment you touch the throttle as opposed to eco mode where it doesn't come on until you're moving a bit. Firms up the steering and suspension as well. Although I find the steering a bit heavy in sport, can this device dial it back?
Suspension too? Which Camry do you have?
@andresampras: That’s the one. It’s like a Lexus without the bling, gaps a Golf GTI at the lights, and blends in like any old Camry.
I have this on a 2009 Crown Hybrid. This device is a throttle controller so it won't be able to make the steering less heavy in sport mode (I don't find it that much heavier in sports compared to normal/eco).
What this device can do is make the throttle more sensitive than sports mode (making it fully open the throttle body quicker than sports mode w/o throttle controller)or less sensitive than eco mode (more for hybrids so I can abuse the hybrid battery as much as possible) and anything in between but at that point this wouldn't be that useful.
Would this fix the thing with my 2006 outback when i put my foot down to start from standing theres a delay before engagement?
We got one on our LDV and when on very slight delay before engagement, wife said it was too snappy so had to change to different setting. It SHOULD be much more responsive. But i cannot guarantee it on your model.
In my experience in my old car, this is exactly what it did for me, there was a delay between pushing the throttle down and something happening.
Curious to hear thoughts as I have the same generation and this is much cheaper than a tune - which I had been considering due to the lag in mine in Eco mode
It should, I have a 22 outback naturally aspirated. I’m just looking to remove the delay between putting your foot down and something happening which this should eliminate.
Makes a huge difference on my 2011 Forester XT - though there's no 'added performance' at all, it makes for far less throttle movement, so I can push 10% of the possible movement and the controller makes that 40% throttle response (over simplified by that's what it does) - if the Computer is causing delay when you floor it 100%, that's more likely the computer delaying things and a Throttle controller wont change that at all.
All it changes is you only have to push say 30% to 'Floor it'
For my car it's been tunes for around town efficiency so the first 50% is super conservative, that's now fixed…
I'm sure I've been seeing it in my Facebook feed for $99 from somewhere and it's on clearance at Repco for $49
https://www.repco.com.au/in-car-technology/dash-cams-reverse…
Those are all different models that fit specific cars, they’re $49 because they are for old cars.
The one you’ve posted, EVC305 only fits Mitsubishi Colt 2002 - 2013
So yes, it’s $49 if you have a colt..
Pretty stupid and unhelpful on the part of Autobarn to not say each of those models only works on one make and model of car, and what it is.
Yep, select your car in the car selector thing on the page then go to the main link in the post and you should hopefully see one applicable for your car.
Damn, unlucky that not a single one fits my Subaru Outback 2007. Saw that you mentioned you got it for your old suby and got excited - but turns out I must have a dinosaur in comparison
HikeIt sell for your year
https://hikeit.com.au/collections/throttle-controllers
These are also on special. It’s essentially the exact same thing…
I liken these things to adjusting your mouse sensitivity, except you're doing it with the throttle. Higher sensitivity, less travel with the throttle to get to full and vice versa with lower sensitivity.
They do NOT produce any more power than before. They just simply give you access to that power quicker (in Ultra not Eco mode that is). This comes in handy for towing purposes, when you want access to that power a bit quicker to perhaps overtake or get up that hill. I have one for this very purpose in my 2020 Pajero Sport.
Yes you can forego having one of these throttle controllers, just sink the boot in quicker and save yourself ~$200, but if you want to be able to fine tune the throttle so it responds how you like it? This is what it is for.
Thank you, I think you posted that in another throttle controller deal.
I probably did haha
The question comes up every time though… that may be why!
I probably should have copied it to be fair, it’s a great explanation.
I don't need a computer to tell me about my throttle response.
You tell em!
I received mine yesterday and Autobarn sent me a used one (damaged box, damage and marks on the connector).
I ordered via ebay and saved additional 6% using "APRIL6" code.
APRAUTO for $10 off now .
I have one installed on me ve ss commodore. Makes a huge difference in throttle response, especially on full setting.
Does it disable the Stop/Start nonsense?
On a Toyota hybrid the engine stays running if you flick the gear shift over to sport.
Nope, but if you have a google around you’ll probably find a kit, most of them for Subarus I know of are just a wire harness you plug in between the existing harness and presto it works.
Completely changed character of my daily. One of best mods I did, way more responsive and can tune reponse to your liking.
Yeah it’s a weird one, one hand people feel like it does nothing and on the other they think it does.
I personally think it does, it helped my shitbox GWM Steed especially with the horrible turbo lag..
I also think it might be specific to certain cars, you probably wouldn’t want this in a BMW or performance car, probably not even in a standard Kia.. I actually don’t know if it’s going to help with the Outback… The CVT is pretty annoying..
If go further and say dependant of engine and gearbox.
I dont think its turbo lag with a modern direction injection motor. Think throttle lag for fuel economy reason.
I have a Kia with a 1.6L turbo and 6 speed manual. Made it far more responsive and fun. Monkey brain says it feels faster due to response time, will get wheel spin in 2nd.
Such truly MAGICAL device. Best thing ever. Make life worth living. Nuff said.
Does it increase fuel use? Already on 13l/100 on my Carnival VQ.
And what happens if it dies while driving 100km/h?
You can set to eco mode to stop your lead foot.
If it dies, I would imagine the normal throttle response is just restored. Since all this is essentially is, is a harness and a little tiny processor to adjust throttle position.
I never got a response when I asked them via email, so cannot be sure of what failsafe mechanism it does have and how insurance would look at it if its found that the car had a non factory throttle affecting modification
There’s not a direct answer, however this might help
https://hikeit.com.au/pages/faqs
Pedal acceleration will not happen without you controlling it. In the unlikely event that the HIKE IT is faulty, the pedal will become unresponsive (at worst). At this point the car should safely be pulled over and the HIKE IT removed to return the vehicle to factory. Doing so will allow the car to be back to factory standard and it will be as the HIKE IT was never there
And
The HIKE IT also has a setting that can return your vehicle to its factory setting in the unlikely event that it develops a fault; in this mode the HIKE IT will be switched off and won’t effect the drivability of the car.
If i understand correctly in theory:
You put your foot down.
ECU has some mapping that slowly ramps up the throttle from 0 to 100%.
This can cause some lag.
Device claims to change that so the throttle response can be quicker (or slower).
So far that makes sense.
What i cant make sense of is how it can actually accomplish that when wired between the pedal and the ecu. It could output what was say 50% throttle as 100% to the ecu. This might feel more responsive because your effectivly flooring it at 50% movement but i don't see how it can make the ECU ramp the throttle quicker. It only looks to be altering the input signal from the pedal to the ECU, the ECU should still follow the same curve it did before.
I think it just decreases your time to 100% so you start at 0 normally, but with the device you start at say 40% and ramp up quicker.
It’s a weird one without knowing the exact internals and what increasing the input actually does.
I’m just guessing here, but that’s generally what it feels like and you can test it by keeping your foot steady and running through the device levels. When you go from U9 to U0 it’s a stark difference.
im not sure how it works exactly but all i can say is that if i put it on full setting U9, my gearbox feels like it will break in half because of the increased throttle response, e.g if i flat foot without the controller its 100%, with throttle controller at 1/4 foot down feels like 500% if that makes sense somehow surpassing a flatfoot, kicks me back hard
i set mine on U1 or E1
I think it just decreases your time to 100% so you start at 0 normally, but with the device you start at say 40% and ramp up quicker.
But i don't see how thats possible when its only altering the input to the ecu from the pedal.
but that’s generally what it feels like and you can test it by keeping your foot steady and running through the device levels.
That's what i would expect though. The different levels just change the reading from the pedal.
So if you're at 10% throttle, one setting sends that to the ecu as 20% another 30% and so on. The dampening/ramping delay in the ECU is still going to be there. It just feels more responsive as its telling the ECU you are pushing the pedal harder than you are.
It would be very simple to test. do a few 1-100 runs with it off and with it on.
1/4 foot down feels like 500% if that makes sense somehow surpassing a flatfoot, kicks me back hard
They don't remap the ecu in any way. There is no method for these to make the car output more power. The placebo effect can be quite powerful. 1-100 would tell you either way.
They also claim it reduces fuel consumption. That's smells like snake oil…..
I used to use an AVO DBW in my BRZ, but had to rip it out after it would randomly cause my car to go into limp home mode..
And when that happens on a Friday evening in peak hour traffic when it's raining is not fun! I was lucky the traffic was moving so slow I could reset the ECU without pissing people off!
But, while it worked, it was a fantastic addition, once i had the right throttle curve it made driving that bit better!
Might have been faulty? I’ve heard of it happen if the harness isn’t connected correctly or a general fault occurs.
Agree that sounds painful and frustrating.
Quite possibly could have been faulty, they are fairly basic units at their core, but could have bugged out and sent a wrong signal causing an issue.
and tbf, it wasn't the only thing that caused it to go into limp home mode! Once I worked out how to disable certain error codes in the ECU it was good to go haha.
It was fairly modified, so I did expect a lot of them.
Waste of money and time! They are harmful to engines, just leave the car just as its stock condition.
Can you prove how increasing throttle response to the maximum that the vendor allows is harming the engine?
Do you have proof of this claim?
There are many online google it, at least it is not for German cars.
I have a german car now, and it has its own built in throttle maps that you can select..
@BlasterBoy: That map is compatible with ECU. You fit these devices or chips and later you come here and post 'my car has engine prob, clutch prob etc etc.
@[Deactivated]: A DBW controller cannot do any damage to a clutch, that is 100% on the drivers ability.
Unless you have it cranked so high that it's buildings revs way too quickly for the throttle position causing you to slip the clutch too much, that is just user error.
Used correctly, there is no problems.
@[Deactivated]: "There are many online google it, at least it is not for German cars."
Maybe my google is as broken as your knowledge of cars, but it's not showing me anything to support this.
Most 4WD's have a little lag in the throttle from factory. It allows for more feather touch in off-road situations.
The only problem is when you mostly use it on-road, it becomes tiresome having to push half way down on the accelerator to go anywhere.
A throttle controller picks up this in built 'electronic slack', and allows you to drive your 4WD with the feeling of a normal accelerator pedal.
It doesn't give you any extra power, it just gives you more response when you press the pedal.
They are make/model specific- so make sure you buy the right one for your vehicle (different plugs, different settings/mapping).
You can turn it off/down when you need more feather touch off road/in wet etc.
Very worthwhile and easy mod to install.
Yeah its friggen dangerous this electronic controlled lag, especially in automatic 4x4 diesel with turbo. I.E MAZADA BT-50
At intersections, go its clear, nope it won't go WHY. Lag. Teaching a 16 year old about it, ooo dangerous.
Funny enough if you learn to how to get around it, gun it, the BT-50 did beat most cars off the line.
Same for overtaking, the lag is dreadful. Almost unable to travel 50-100metres to catch the vehicle in front.
Then when it does open up your almost out of space on the overtaking lane.
It does not save fuel either, just another control method put in place which has potential consequences at intersections and thinking you can make it.
It did not matter in the wet, because it was a ute, it would spin off the line when medium rain rate, wet and streams flowing across intersections. Making it dangerous, on, lag, then on and going sideways bit, tricky to find the sweet spot of throttle control with two adult drivers wondering wtf is going on.
Before this bullshit, you vehicle could wheel spin and had good acceleration and reaction off the line.
Good acceleration and reaction off the line are the reasons I rode motorbike for several years, Could not find a car that was unleashed.
love this in my 2010 xr6. Wouldn't be without it now.
These are great, made a huge difference to the throttle lag in my car with the electronic throttle.