96 model 2.4 throttle position sensor TPS

Any body ever had a TPS go bad? I don't know it thats what is happening just looking for suggestions. Sitting still in drive when I hold the brake and ease down on the throttle to 1500 RPM's The engine skips and sputters doesn't cut off, push down to 1800 rpm and its gone, It sets a #4 cyclinder missfire code. I've done the intake gasket new plug wires plugs and distributor. Everything I've done has helped somewhat. I just need this skip fixed, 1500 RPM running down the road is ~ 45 mph so the skip is obvious at that time. Do the TPS's on Altimas nomally go bad? Any other suggestions appreciated. :banghead:

TPS's move everytime the throttle moves. They can wear out because they move. Manual trans TPS's get more action and more wear than auto trans cars. The condition you describe could be caused by a defective TPS. The greatest wear would occur around the 45 MPH range. To find out if your TPS is defective, use an Ohm meter to test it. The Ohm meter should show a smooth transition of variable resistance as the throttle is slowly opened and closed. If there is an irregularity in resistance likely to be found about the 45 MPH range, your TPS needs to be replaced and the new TPS adjusted correctly. I think more than half of Altima TPS's that are replaced were not defective and did not solve the problem.

Thanks, I intend to check it more closely this coming weekend. I didn't mention that this condition is only present when the car is hot not just up to temp but underhood temps are high. It doesn't make sence to me to be anything else but i've been wrong before. Thanks again

Well it turns out I couldn't check the TPS because I didn't know which connector it was, there are two connectors on the throttle body and neither line up with the trottle shaft. I think the other is the IAC control. Anyway I bought a used throttle body off ebay for .99 cents + 16$ shipping and installed it and the problem was cured. Wish I had done that before I changed the intake gasket, plugs, wires, new distributor and all of the swearing that goes along with the work preformed. Oh yea, one more thing the book says that any malfunction of the TPS will set a code, mine never did. I just got #4 cylinder misfire. I hope my situation helps somebody in the future.