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Can any auto mechanics provide insight about oxygen sensors??

MOXJO7282

MOXJO7282

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In the history of our car ownership we've replaced a number of oxygen sensors in various vehicles and every time I question what the hell it is and if I can replace myself.

The reason I ask is because every single time I've replaced this sensor the car itself is running absolutely fine, case in point right now is my 2005 Honda Oddesey. Also one time a mechanic himself questioned the need to replace and said it could be caused by a loose gas cap. I wouldn't even be replacing but I need an inspection and of course it won't pass with the engine light on.

So a few questions, is it really necessary to replace and any chance I can do myself and save $300-400 I sure?
 
Auto Zone and Advance Auto Parts will hook up a diagnostic tool to your car for free and it should tell you what is causing the check engine light to come on.

Changing the sensor looks easy on paper but like any mechanical repair, things can break and go wrong. You will need to buy or borrow a special socket that allows you to get to the sensor with the wire attached to it.

Again, those auto parts stores loan many tools to help you make repairs. You pay for the tool then get your money back when you return it. Check your local store to see if that is one they loan.

Those stores will also have advice on how to change the sensor or you can go to www.managemylife.com and get expert advice there.

The first thing we did when my daughter's light came on was to change gas caps to see if the light would go off. I then looked at the wires on the sensor on her gas tank and found one was corroded, got a used electrical plug from my mechanic, replaced it and all is fine.

I'm telling you this because it's not always the O sensor causing the light to come on. If it is the gas cap causing the problem and you replace the O sensor, the warning light will still come on.

I have never had to replace an O sensor and have driven hundreds of thousands of miles on my cars.

I live in a testing area and even though the car may me running perfectly, no sense even taking the car in to get tested with the light on. We only get 3 free tests so don't waste one when you know it will fail.

Make sure it's the O sensor before you start spending a lot of time and money.
 
Thanks John that is great advice. I'll confirm its the O2 before I have it repaired. Looking at Youtube its quite the challenge and there is a need for a special tool so I'll leave it to the experts.
 
O2 sensors are in the exhaust stream in the car, the information is used by the on board computer to adjust air/fuel injection mix. They wear out from the heat and material used, often called a "wear" part. Blame modern cars, in the old days we had to rebuild the carb, clean the bowl and jets, etc etc...

Your car may run ok, but your gas mileage will suffer and too much fuel leaves more residue on engine parts. Plus it makes the light go on, which means ca-Ching to a mechanic. :)

PS. A leaky gas cap would never be an O2 sensor issue, they don't mix fuel vapor with exhaust BOOM! In CA they test the caps on a separate vacuum tester. O2 sensor protects the catalytic converter from possible backfire damage if fuel gets too rich.
 
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$520 later it's all fixed. Took him 2 hours to replace? Man what a racket.
 
The only "racket" is labor costs. It probably does take a mechanic 2 hours, so that's not debatable. Go to AutoMD and it will give you estimates of time and costs for most repairs. Most smaller repair shops charge $60-$70 per hour, while dealers charge $125-$150/hour.

TS
 
MOXJO7282 said:
$520 later it's all fixed. Took him 2 hours to replace? Man what a racket.
Click to expand...

What was the problem? Did it turn out to be the oxygen sensor?
 
Elan said:
I suggest buying an inexpensive OBD reader. One reset of a false code will pay for it. Furthermore, it will give you insight into what's wrong with your vehicle if you have to take it to the shop. Helps keep from getting reamed by the mechanic. I have this one, but you can get them for as little as $20:

http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3030-D...F8&qid=1357492143&sr=8-9&keywords=OBD+scanner
Click to expand...

I agree with this. Ever since the OBDII software came out in 1996, I think I have saved a small fortune and all kinds of time by reading the trouble codes myself and knowing exactly what is turning on the idiot lights in my dash. Last time the Check Engine light came on in the Corvette, I pulled the codes and my reader told me the gas cap was loose. DUH! I just filled the tank and didn't tighten the cap. How much would the dealer charge me to figure that out?
 
csxjohn said:
What was the problem? Did it turn out to be the oxygen sensor?
Click to expand...

Yes. So I repaired it and honestly don't even feel any difference whatsoever. And it wasn't like I was getting any worse gas mileage than before that I could tell. Maybe I was getting 2-3 miles less per gallon, it would take a few years to spend that via extra gas.

Total BS in my book.
 
Sea Six said:
I agree with this. Ever since the OBDII software came out in 1996, I think I have saved a small fortune and all kinds of time by reading the trouble codes myself and knowing exactly what is turning on the idiot lights in my dash. Last time the Check Engine light came on in the Corvette, I pulled the codes and my reader told me the gas cap was loose. DUH! I just filled the tank and didn't tighten the cap. How much would the dealer charge me to figure that out?
Click to expand...

On my F150, it occasionally throws a P0174 code. Looking it up, this code translates to "system too lean, bank 2". Sounds pretty ominous, but a quick search on the internet shows that this code is often set on these trucks by a dirty MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor. So I pull the air intake, squirt some electronics cleaner on the MAF sensor, and clear the code with the reader. Takes about half an hour. A shop would likely change the sensor ($135 new OEM) and charge me $100+ to do it. A racket, indeed.
 
Rather than buying a code reader, I just go to my local auto parts store. Like most, they'll let you use one of their readers for free. Then I google the code. A few minutes of research and I can often fix things myself, or at least be much more prepared when I take it to the shop.
 
MOXJO7282 said:
Yes. So I repaired it and honestly don't even feel any difference whatsoever. And it wasn't like I was getting any worse gas mileage than before that I could tell. Maybe I was getting 2-3 miles less per gallon, it would take a few years to spend that via extra gas.

Total BS in my book.
Click to expand...

O2 sensors aren't always about gas milage. Its often about emissions. Small changes in the air fule ratio can go undetected in power and milage, but it might be enough to increase emissions.
 
I drive a Cadillac. With those, we hold down two buttons, and it shows us the exact codes on the dash. My current Caddy is a 1989, which uses OBD I (not II). Thankfully, the system shows the exact codes. And because it does it that way, every repair that has came up has been repaired. I'm currently shopping for a 2002-2005 Deville, and they too will show all the codes on the dash (no need for a reader).

TS
 
MOXJO7282 said:
Yes. So I repaired it and honestly don't even feel any difference whatsoever. And it wasn't like I was getting any worse gas mileage than before that I could tell. Maybe I was getting 2-3 miles less per gallon, it would take a few years to spend that via extra gas.

Total BS in my book.
Click to expand...

I think that if it took a qualified mechanic 2 hrs to change it, you did the right thing not trying it yourself.

It doesn't really matter what the effect you your car was, being in a testing area we can't get plates with that light on.

It irks me to see large commercial vehicles spewing black smoke all over the sky and we have to spend hundreds to comply with emissions standards.
 
Or just before you get it inspected disconnect the battery ground for 30 seconds, reattach and get it inspected. This will reset the light and you will have another year to ponder a repair.
 
simpsontruckdriver said:
I drive a Cadillac. With those, we hold down two buttons, and it shows us the exact codes on the dash. My current Caddy is a 1989, which uses OBD I (not II). Thankfully, the system shows the exact codes. And because it does it that way, every repair that has came up has been repaired. I'm currently shopping for a 2002-2005 Deville, and they too will show all the codes on the dash (no need for a reader).

TS
Click to expand...

If the Caddy is the same as the Corvette, which I suspect it is - GM changed things so you can't pull codes on the dash anymore. This was changed on the Corvette when the C6 generation came out in 2005. I'm not sure what year things changed with Caddy, but I would bet they changed around the same time. Since you are looking at a car from pre-2005, I believe you can pull DTC codes on the dash, but if you were shopping newer I wouldn't expect you would be able to do that anymore. Most of the gear heads I know in the Corvette world who own cars since 2005 have their own scanners. They don't cost that much.
 
silverfox82 said:
Or just before you get it inspected disconnect the battery ground for 30 seconds, reattach and get it inspected. This will reset the light and you will have another year to ponder a repair.
Click to expand...

Erasing the trouble code doesn't mean it won't come right back as soon as you start the car. You're erasing the code, not fixing the problem.
 
Sea Six said:
Erasing the trouble code doesn't mean it won't come right back as soon as you start the car. You're erasing the code, not fixing the problem.
Click to expand...

silverfox82 said:
It stays off for a few days usually.
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This depends on what's causing the light to come on. Some times it will come right back on. I got in my truck yesterday to drop it off at my mechanic's shop and the light was off so I immediately went to the testing facility to get it tested before it came back on.

When I got there, the equipment couldn't read my truck's output so they ran a tailpipe test which I passed. The certificate is good for a year and I needed a test before this August.

When I got home I remembered that I had disconnected the battery to clean the posts and cables as part of my getting ready for winter maintenance. I never took it on the road after that so I did not go through the steps needed to get the computer in the vehicle to start putting out info. In my truck it involves traveling at different speeds, highway and city streets for so many miles.

I gave the code of the last read out to the mechanic and since I need him to do a few fluid changes and things like that, I left the truck with him and he may get to the check engine light problem. I was hoping it would go back on before I got to his shop but it did not.

BTW this has been going on for about 8 years and yesterday I decided to get it taken care of after reading this thread. Mine would occasionally go off and I would be able to get it to the test facility. It hadn't gone off for a while so I figured I get it fixed. I forgot that disconnecting the battery would reset the light.

In Ohio you can go on line with a vin # and see the record of a vehicle's test results. Could be helpful if buying a used car.
 
Resetting the pass code may work for a short term fix but the OBD runs 100's (1000's) of tests on many emission related item. Some are done every time you turn on the key, some once a day -well you get the idea.. I remember the first time our light came on, I had just filled up earlier in the day and later I noticed the red light was on. I didn't connect the two until after I took the car to a dealer who charged me $80 for a diagnostic that told them to tighten the gas cap! :mad: If I recall correctly, a friend of mine reset his code and went to emissions, they could tell that the code had been reset and made them come back a week later before they would test it. Of course, by them, the light was back on. The oxygen sensor detects problems with the fuel mixture and, if left untreated can destroy the catalytic converter.:( Of course, some cars have more than one sensor, too! :shrug:
 
Right... 2005 and newer Cadillacs - and all GMs - require an OBD II reader. True, they are inexpensive. Like I said, I have a 1989, which is an OBD I, and those are a little more expensive. Auto parts stores have an OBD II scanner (not OBD I).

Whether the car has a scanner built in (like the 2005 and older Cadillacs) or not, a code scanner is invaluable!

TS
 
I replaced an oxygen sensor on my old 2003 Hyundai. Two hours labor seems a bit extreme if you have the part ready and the proper tool. I had to remove an exhaust shield and unscrew the sensor and screw the new part back in it's place, reconnect the cable and reinstall the shield. Seems like it took me less than an hour. Perhaps your sensor was rusted in place and it took a while for the WD-40 to do its job?

In my case, the car would fall on it's face (extreme loss of power) shortly after starting out. After warming up it was fine. The replacement sensor was for a CA car. Little did I know it was a CA car!
 
Depending on the make and model of the vehicle 1 to 2 hours is about right. The $520 cost seems a bit high.
 
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