throttle body clean gone wrong
Hi all,
Just looking for some advice and hoping I'm not as cooked as I think I am.
Did a Throttle Body clean of my 2013 2.0L Subaru Impreza yesterday. I tinker with cars from time to time, was following a YouTube video (and had my wife supervising me).
Accessed and removed the throttle body easy enough, had the CRC Kleen ready, cleaned and replaced. I'd disconnected the battery so I then did the Throttle Relearn , again via YouTube, then test drive. Whilst on my test drive I noticed white smoke and a sweet smell. Returned home and just as I arrived the red temperature warning light was flashing. Opened the hood and there was a lot of steam, easy to feel the heat and something had spluttered everywhere.
Left it overnight, then again disconnected the battery and the air filter when I spotted the coolant hose disconnected from the throttle body. Realized what had happened and reconnected it and replaced everything. I checked my coolant level and everything seemed fine despite the coolant spluttered out. Then did another Throttle Body Relearn.
Went another test drive and whilst out got a check engine warning light and the temperature warning was flashing red/blue back and forward. I pulled over, thankfully by a Canadian Tire, plugged in my ODBII and got a code of P0117, which I researched and then popped my hood. Today there was no steam or smoke, the engine did not feel as hot to the touch but I noticed the coolant tank which I had checked maybe 30 mins before was now empty. I went into CT and bought coolant and topped the coolant tank, waited a half hour and then drove home. No warning lights when I started the car but the red temperature warning was flashing again just as I arrived home. Was this just because the engine was hotter than usual to start with or a bigger cause of concern?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Posted Apr 1, 2026, 8:40 PM UTC