92 Es300 Check Light On

[PhilP]

<_< I recently had a check light indicator diagnosed by a local Toyota dealer. They informed me that I needed a new oxygen sensor for the back bank - $88 charge. Pretty steep charge for a simple diagnosis. I replace the oxygen sensor myself - cost me $40 for the universal Bosch oxygen sensor. They were charging me $288 to replace. After replacing the sensor, the check indicator light remains lit. Initially, after the sensor replacement, the indicator went off momentarily only to come back on. Now it is on all the time. Do I need to have it reset??

Also I noticed that everytime I start the engine the first time in the morning, there seems to be a lot of moisture coming out of the exhaust. It is literally dripping with water out of the exhaust with a thick white smoke. Is this a sign that the cat converter is not burning the fuel efficiently - not the right fuel/air mixture. Could this mean that the oxygen sensor is still not working.

Can someone shed some light on this. Thanks.

[steviej]

sometimes the universal O2 sensors do not meet OEM specs and the CEL is set off.

The O2 senosr market is a huge cash cow. My last car (93 SSEi) has one and it cost $30. Now I have three and they range from $100 to $300 for one sensor. OUTRAGEOUS!!!

The CEL light should go out if the O2 sensor is sending the right signal. Turning the car off and then on should reset the code if the triggering agent is gone. Evidentally, the BOSCH sensor does not meet OEM rquirements or the culprit is still present. If it was truely working, then something knocked it out again.

A little moisture is normal.....but your description conjours up an open hot water faucet. Does the white smoke dissapate immedaitely. Smell the white smoke. If you have the green coolant and it was leaking into the combustion chamber, then the exhaust should smell of a strong maple odor. The red coolant shouldn't smell that strong of maple. Are you loosing any coolant?

steviej

[SKperformance]

You need to find out what your new code or codes are. Go to a local auto parts store for a free check.

[PhilP]

<_< Thanks everyone. I'll have an autopart store re-check the code. I have a suspicion that it might not be the O2 sensor that's wrong this time. Do you know which auto store would do this - Autozone, Pep Boys. I'm in the Chicagoland area.

Or another thought is that the wire that connects to the O2 sensor itself is faulty. I failed to mention that before the "check" light indicator came on, I had some work done by CarX - replace cam cover gasket, cam seal, water pump and timing belt. When I got the car back, I noticed that the mechanic did not put the plastic housing of all the wirings together properly. This is the plastic cover of the fan belt that goes around to the edge of the cam cover closest to the firewall. It looks like while working on the car, he cut the wire of the O2 sensor. The wire appears to just have been tied back together.

When I replace the O2 sensor, I used the same wire and spliced it together. It is possible that the wire is not the right one. I can't verify this because it is just a single wire that's sticking out of the plastic housing. I will have to open the housing to see if it is the right one. Even if I did, I would not know if it's the right one.

Does anybody have any suggestions.

[SKperformance]

It could be the wire but a code is the best bet to do first.

Napa or pep boys should do it for free.

[jay420]

I'm having a similar problem with my ES. Bad o2 sensor and white smoke on

startup. Is this smoke cause by a faulty 02 sensor or could it be from something else?

[SKperformance]

read what it says above and follow the same options