Fuel Air Sensor

[waltersmartin]

Hello Everyone.

I have a 1998 Lexus ES300 with 75,000 miles on it. 8 months ago my check engine light came on and I took the car in. The mechanic plugged in his computer, deduced that an O2 sensor had failed and proceeded to replace the sensor. Of course the sensor that failed was on the back of the engine and he charged me 400.00 to replace the sensor. All of which was labor. He told me he couldn't get a wrench in there. He was refered to me by friends so I trusted him.

After 15,000 miles and just 6 months the check engine light came on again. Is there some other component that might be causing my sensors to fail? Is this a common problem? What do I do?

Walter Martin

[camlex]

Did you replaced only one at firsttime?

most time , you shall replace bank 1 and bank 2 at same time.

Hope that helps.

[steviej]

Hello Everyone.

I have a 1998 Lexus ES300 with 75,000 miles on it. 8 months ago my check engine light came on and I took the car in. The mechanic plugged in his computer, deduced that an O2 sensor had failed and proceeded to replace the sensor. Of course the sensor that failed was on the back of the engine and he charged me 400.00 to replace the sensor. All of which was labor. He told me he couldn't get a wrench in there. He was refered to me by friends so I trusted him.

After 15,000 miles and just 6 months the check engine light came on again. Is there some other component that might be causing my sensors to fail? Is this a common problem? What do I do?

Walter Martin

The A/F sensors run about $250 each and an hours worth of labor would put you in the neighborhood of 4 bills.

There are 3 to four of these sensors depending on the year of your car. Any of them can go at any time.

If the check engine light came on again, have the codes read again. Post the codes up here and we can tell you what the troubling sensor/probelm is.

There are hundreds of code combinations that will set off the check engine light.

steviej

[spalkin]

Wow! First of all, They can get a wrench on it, and they did! I've done several of these and I use a regular, run of the mill wrench on it. That area is designed so that you can get a wrench on that to change it. If they charged you $400 to change out that sensor (part included even) they totally ripped you off. I'm really sorry that happened to you.

Don't ever go there again and slam that garage to everyone you know.

As tough as times are for people right now, the last thing we need are actual fellow car guys raping us in our asses.

Next time you take the car into a shop and get an estimate, ask them to actually show you what needs to be done to perform the operation. Retain as much of it as possible and relay it to someone either here or that you know. We can tell you if they're being straight with you.

[camlex]

you can get toyota sensor for ~$110. Bank 1 and Bank 2 are same part#

Between Radiator and engine (Front)= Bank 2 sensor 1

By firewall= Bank 1 Sensor 1

After Cat =Bank 1 Sensor 2 , That's third

Please correct me if i am wrong.

When I had CEL, My mechanic told me to replaced both.

Hope that helps.

[George_Jetson]

You can get the O2 sensors on ebay for less than $40 each. Note that the sensors are different part number

from bank 1 to bank 2. I would stick with brand name sensors like bosch.

[waltersmartin]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I am going to get my computer read and well see what the codes are. Ill be sure to post them before I go out for estimates.

Walter