Help P2188 code

Year/Make/Model: 2008 Mazdaspeed 3
• mileage: 185,00
•Location: PHX AZ
•Concern: trouble code 2188
•Modifications: all bolt on’s and tuned
•Tuner: Cobb
• Tried posting in troubleshooting section but got nothing. Apologies if this is the wrong place for it…

So a couple months ago my car would vibrate or kinda like hesitate n seem to almost bog dwn complete loss of power any time I tried or to accelerate for example while merging onto the freeway or pass another driver ect. Occasionally It would buck pretty aggressively if I accelerated too quickly from a complete stop. The codes presented were p2006,p2177,p2188. So to make a long story short it ended up being the VTCS position Actuator/sensor not being engaged due to the lever breaking off so I found the forum titled something like “P2006 fix” here in the forums. The fix was simple n only required repositioning the actuator/sensor so that it’s able to be engaged again n it worked, no more codes!!! Or so I thought, fast-forward 2-3weeks n the check engine light comes on again! P2188, one of the codes I just got rid of and the symptoms are exactly the same: Hesitation anytime I accelerate & Occasional bucking when accelerating from complete stop ..Only thing I’ve really done so far is check to make I plugged everything back in correctly, and i did . IDK why but I feel it has to do with the position actuator/sensor specifically, maybe I bent or stretched the wires in a way that they r now loose or disconnected on the inside …. How would I go about testing the position sensor? I am completely handicap when it comes to electrical, but am I able to remove the sensor and test it with a multimeter? If so, what setting should I put the meter on and what should the reading be? Other than that guys, I’m all ears. TNX

 

Check your plugs, ensure proper gap, boost leak test, p1288 is too rich at idle for those wondering, assuming Google is right.

"All bolt ons and tuned" tells us absolutely nothing about your actual mods.
Also here's a good thread on how to diagnose
https://mazdaspeeds.org/index.php?threads/how-to-diagnose-thread.12295/