I am just going to pay some bills tomorrow and then head for to my uncle's and we will see what we uncover. The manual is not the least bit helpful (as it is with many things), but we will give it a good go.

Speaking of too cold, we had 40 degree weather here, with a windchill in the 30s and this below.

 

You are not seeing things, not snow but very large pieces of hail. This is at my uncle's place.

Another shot with a friend's Peugeot.

 

One more shot.

 

p1fcl01,

What I am about to tell you is based on my ES300 sensors. Hopefully it is the same with the RX. The latch that you have to squeeze is on the ECM side connector, not the O2 sensor connector. However, since the space is so tight it's difficult to squeeze it hard enough to unlatch it.

Try this. First identify the side of the connector where the latch is. Then try using a long flat screw driver with a small blade to get under the latch (from the O2 sensor side) and twist the screw driver just enough to raise the latch. (Don't break it as it is probably pretty brittle with the freezing temeratures.) Then tug on the wire or the connector if you can reach it. If the latch is unhooked, it won't take much force to take the connector out. If you look on the side of the sensor connector you should see the lip that the latch hooks on to.

Sorry I wish that I had a picture to show you but I don't.

Good luck!

 

Would this help?

This is the one from the front.

My uncle and I dug under in there and you are right it is a PITA.

The RX300 is full of these things, including the underneath the battery that controls the DRLs and that I disconnected. Only comment I can tell you is that these types of latches are quite durable and are NOT prone to breaking, so whatever tool you want to use, go ahead and use it.

 

OK, newbie and still a newbie with no power. I finally got the plug to unlatch and now I can't seem to get the sensor out of the because I just don't have enought leverch or its just to tight to get it off. I had a bottle of WD-40 on it and its still so tight that I thought I was going to break my sensor socket and wrench. Any good idea how I can losen this thing, is WD40 just as good as liquid wrench? I am so close and yet so far ! ! !

Thanks

Frankie

Man, this is the 1st time I ever see hail in Mexico, is everything OK LexMex?

 

Frankie,

Never saw a snowball fight in Mexico, but the local youngsters had a lot of fun yesterday.

You may want to practice with the one on the topside first. All I remember is that it took some major force and I was ready to use pliers or just about anything to pull that DRL sensor off, so I can imagine that this sensor is just as much a PITA.

I don't know how much that WD-40 or liquid wrench might help. I have been using computer keyboard cleaner as it is a little more fluid than WD-40 in terms of getting into places.

 

Try tightening it and see if it turns at all. If so, go back and forth until it unscrews with reasonable force. Sometimes the threads get caught up and it will not turn loose with any amount of force.

Good luck and do let us know when you're all done with no more trouble codes.

Kauz

 

Thanks, I will try to get a pair of stronger hands Thursday and let you know the outcome. Thanks all.....

 

Big Thanks to LexMex and LC1338 and all others that help me on this. I finally got someone to pull that piece out and replacing it was not as easy as I thought. Re-attaching the plug was kinda tough since it needs to be exact before you can push it in. But you know what, its DONE and all the codes are gone.

Thanks everyone,

to the next project, oil change and new front brake!!!!!!

Frankie