Maintenance Discuss common Lexus maintenance questions here.

O2 sensor

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-15-08, 10:50 AM
  #1  
gumbyslex
Rookie
Thread Starter
 
gumbyslex's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default O2 sensor

my check engine light came on and i got it checked out. come to find out its the Oxygen sensor bank 1 sensor 2. does anyone have any info on how to replace it or where i can get one for a pretty good price.. i went to autozone, it was around 150 their..for a bosch
Old 01-15-08, 02:34 PM
  #2  
mitsuguy
Maintenance Moderator

iTrader: (2)
 
mitsuguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 0
Received 24 Likes on 21 Posts
Default

if you are going to buy a cheap replacement, at get a really cheap one...

you can find them for $50 or less on line that supposedly work ok... I would try to go with an OE Denso, can usually find them less than $100...

It takes about 10 minutes to do once you are underneath the car... you just need a large wrench (I forget the size, 21mm maybe?)
Old 01-15-08, 10:39 PM
  #3  
pingu
Lexus Champion
 
pingu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: AFGI
Posts: 2,175
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Mine went out also. You can buy the generic 15773 bosch, but its not plug and play.
Old 01-16-08, 04:52 PM
  #4  
gumbyslex
Rookie
Thread Starter
 
gumbyslex's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

well i dont really want the bosch one, i heard they suck so yeah... i'll probably go online and look for one. is it the one before the converter...do i have to take the seat out..?
Old 01-16-08, 06:31 PM
  #5  
VVT-i
Lexus Champion
 
VVT-i's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2,781
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

What's the year and model of your car? Is it a V-6, V-8 or I-6?
Old 01-18-08, 08:40 AM
  #6  
scottie24
Driver School Candidate
 
scottie24's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fl
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

my light just came on and my code is Oxygen sensor 2 bank 1. my car has had no pwer sense the light has been on. have you expericed the same problem? i was also told that my cat conv was clogged causing it. I would rather just change the sensor if that is the cause of no power rather than the cat.
Old 01-18-08, 06:04 PM
  #7  
gumbyslex
Rookie
Thread Starter
 
gumbyslex's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Texas
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

its an 02 is300 inline 6.
i was told to change the sensor before anything else goes wrong... and yeah i have noticed that i lost some power in my car..
Old 01-19-08, 07:14 AM
  #8  
scottie24
Driver School Candidate
 
scottie24's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fl
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

i can't get above 65mph. i think i am going to change the o2 sensor today and see what happens
Old 01-19-08, 08:41 AM
  #9  
mitsuguy
Maintenance Moderator

iTrader: (2)
 
mitsuguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 0
Received 24 Likes on 21 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by scottie24
i can't get above 65mph. i think i am going to change the o2 sensor today and see what happens
it definitely won't hurt, but I can tell you one thing - it may not fix your issue... the oxygen sensor is only used during closed loop... go out, drive your car, and floor it... under that condition, the o2 sensor is ignored, and your car should have close to full power, if there is nothing else wrong...
Old 01-21-08, 05:05 AM
  #10  
Lexus1996
Driver School Candidate
 
Lexus1996's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Is there any risk to drive a car with engine check light on for oxygen sensor failure?
Old 01-21-08, 07:38 AM
  #11  
mitsuguy
Maintenance Moderator

iTrader: (2)
 
mitsuguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 0
Received 24 Likes on 21 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Lexus1996
Is there any risk to drive a car with engine check light on for oxygen sensor failure?
Yes, but typically long term only...

I have seen three instances personally where someone has ignored their engine light for a o2 sensor code (and two instances of other codes) that has led to them having to replace either one or both main catalytic converters... that can turn a couple hundred dollar fix into a couple thousand dollar fix depending on car and which cat...
Old 01-21-08, 08:52 AM
  #12  
19psi
Lexus Champion
 
19psi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Lou-Evil KY
Posts: 2,489
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Default

you say it's sensor 2, which means it's after the cat. this sensor does nothing for the performance of the car. it's only mission in life is to monitor the condition and performance of the catalytic convertor. if it goes bad on it's own, not because of a bad cat, then the car will run perfectly forever. the ecu does not use the information from this sensor at all in it's engine operations.
Old 01-21-08, 09:09 AM
  #13  
fallabel
Rookie
 
fallabel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Here's my current situation, thanks in advance for any advice you folks can lend.

1995 Lexus ES300. For context, I've set an "acceptable repair cost threshold" at $2000. Any more than that, and I'm buying a new car.

I had an Engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp turn on about a week ago. I had an appointment scheduled with the Toyota dealership, but by the time I got there the light turned off.

It turned back on the next day, so I just dropped by AutoZone for them to scan it. I don't remember the Code # (can get it from a paper in the car if needed), but the employee said it was a bad O2 sensor, as I'd expected.

The light turned off again on Friday of last week, and has been off ever since. Multiple people guessed that it might have just been a loose gas cap, but mine was very tight. The problem did first appear soon after refueling.

I'm assuming that if the sensor is actually failed, the check engine light would remain on. Is it possible that the failure indicator has also failed? My assumption would be that these sensors give off an "I'm ok" signal whenever they're working, and the lack of this signal produces the failure indication.

Now to my question: since the light is no longer on, is it advisable to keep driving the car? I know that a garage's diagnostic equipment won't be much good if the failure indicator isn't activated. The car seems to be running normally, though I do get an occasional scent of exhaust inside the cabin; that's been noticeable for over a month now.
Old 01-21-08, 09:21 AM
  #14  
mitsuguy
Maintenance Moderator

iTrader: (2)
 
mitsuguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 0
Received 24 Likes on 21 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 19psi
you say it's sensor 2, which means it's after the cat. this sensor does nothing for the performance of the car. it's only mission in life is to monitor the condition and performance of the catalytic convertor. if it goes bad on it's own, not because of a bad cat, then the car will run perfectly forever. the ecu does not use the information from this sensor at all in it's engine operations.
ah, I missed that... good point...
Old 01-21-08, 09:27 AM
  #15  
mitsuguy
Maintenance Moderator

iTrader: (2)
 
mitsuguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 6,388
Likes: 0
Received 24 Likes on 21 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by fallabel
Here's my current situation, thanks in advance for any advice you folks can lend.

1995 Lexus ES300. For context, I've set an "acceptable repair cost threshold" at $2000. Any more than that, and I'm buying a new car.

I had an Engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp turn on about a week ago. I had an appointment scheduled with the Toyota dealership, but by the time I got there the light turned off.

It turned back on the next day, so I just dropped by AutoZone for them to scan it. I don't remember the Code # (can get it from a paper in the car if needed), but the employee said it was a bad O2 sensor, as I'd expected.

The light turned off again on Friday of last week, and has been off ever since. Multiple people guessed that it might have just been a loose gas cap, but mine was very tight. The problem did first appear soon after refueling.

I'm assuming that if the sensor is actually failed, the check engine light would remain on. Is it possible that the failure indicator has also failed? My assumption would be that these sensors give off an "I'm ok" signal whenever they're working, and the lack of this signal produces the failure indication.

Now to my question: since the light is no longer on, is it advisable to keep driving the car? I know that a garage's diagnostic equipment won't be much good if the failure indicator isn't activated. The car seems to be running normally, though I do get an occasional scent of exhaust inside the cabin; that's been noticeable for over a month now.
sometimes sensors just work intermittently... heat, cold, vibration, all potential causes...

unfortunately your assumption is wrong... most sensors in cars are passive - they take voltage from the PCM (ECU), modify it, and the PCM sees what happens to the signal after it's been passed through the sensor... When the PCM sees something outside of its expected range, or behavior not typical of that sensor, then the PCM sets the check engine light...

not true about the check engine light... all newer cars 96+ store history information for a period of time, or forever, depending on the code and how that PCM was programmed...

Just need to find out which O2 sensor and just replace it...


Quick Reply: O2 sensor



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 09:57 AM.