The void left in the Aussie car market, with local players like Holden and Ford ceasing production, robbed drivers and buyers of the choice of large displacement naturally aspirated engines. Parent American companies soon stepped in. Also joining the game was Jeep and Chrysler. The Grand Cherokee, with big V6s and V8s and something ingrained in Aussie motoring for decades, has proven a popular alternative to more upmarket European and Japanese rivals.
A motoring purist’s choice that is also capable off-road. There are ample numbers of the Grand Cherokee on Aussie roads, as well as many cars on the used market. They are equally split between smaller 6-cylinder diesels, and 6-cylinder petrols. The top of the line 6.2 litre V8 in the SRT is a prime example for tuning enthusiasts. In fact, all engines can be significantly improved with minor additions, like a throttle controller. This works well in both the turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines to get power down to the wheels in a faster and more controlled manner.
What Are Throttle Controllers?
Acceleration in cars is controlled by multiple systems. This includes sensors along the acceleration pedal that read how far down the pedal is. The sensors send this data to the car’s on-board computer, the ECU. This interprets the signals, and opens the throttle body, the part of the engine tasked to regulate the amount of air coming in the cylinder, before it is mixed with fuel for combustion.
The jeep throttle controller is a small electronic device used to increase the voltage the ECU receives from the acceleration pedal sensors. This in effect tricks the ECU that the pedal is pressed further down than it actually is. The result is more instant acceleration. Your Grand Cherokee is faster off a standstill and reacts better when overtaking. There is no throttle lag, or the time between pressing on the pedal and actual acceleration. This is more evident in the turbocharged diesels.
How does a Throttle Controller Benefit Your Grand Cherokee?
An easy-to-install jeep throttle controller makes the throttle in your Grand Cherokee more responsive. And it does this in an entirely safe way. Most cars, Jeeps included, have in-built throttle delay to avoid any jumpiness. A throttle controller works with other car systems, like ABS, traction control, as well as the on-demand 4×4 transmission to bypass this and avoid potential wheel spin.
The car accelerates from a standstill in a smooth, linear way. Drivers get enough feedback from the wheels to adjust their driving style and input accordingly, so driving is safer and inspires more confidence. Most throttle controllers will be dialled into the performance or ultimate mode. This has various levels of sensitivity.
More adjustment means you can fine-tune how responsive the throttle is. This can be a minor upgrade to the stock settings, with the controller set in position “1”, to provide slightly better reaction times. Or it can be dialled all the way up, to get instant acceleration. Of course, the driving conditions dictate when you’ll need better throttle response.
Say, when overtaking road trains and semi-trailers on highways, or driving a loaded Grand Cherokee while also towing a trailer or caravan up steep hills. With better throttle control in such cases, gear shifts (in the not too perfect Jeep transmission), are crisper and faster. The controller can also serve the opposite purpose.
The bigger petrols might be intimidating for some, with the engine in the SRT belching out a whopping 344 kW of power and truck-like pulling torque of over 600Nm. Setting the controller in ECO or Economy mode actually increases the time it takes for the throttle to kick in. This is useful when caught up in heavy traffic, or if you do mild off-roading, as it protects you from loss of traction on loose surfaces.
Eco mode is also handy in wet weather, by providing more grip. In addition, it can save some fuel. Though the three litre diesels are frugal, the petrols in the Grand Cherokee are less so. Dialling the controller in eco will cut down on too much throttle, and wasted fuel, where it is not needed.
Alternately, some controllers have an Auto mode. This helps in a few ways. If you like to keep both hands firmly on the wheel, the auto mode helps in providing the best throttle response according to the conditions on the road and how intense you are on the acceleration pedal. This will get you just the right amount of throttle without the need of any adjustments.
Basically, it’s a set and forget mode that provides all the benefits of better throttle response. Lastly, there’s the reset or factory setting, that turn’s the jeep throttle controller off. You can do this at any time, even while driving, and the car returns to the stock settings.
Installation and Pricing
Jeep throttle controllers are simple plug and play units that are simple to install. You’ll need only a few minutes for the job. Set the interface somewhere along the dash, where you can adjust settings as you drive. Or set the controller into Auto from the beginning, and let it do its thing. Controllers are among the cheapest performance upgrades, that will set you back a couple of hundred dollars. Besides the Grand Cherokee, controllers are also available for all other Jeep models.
