Car question - How much for an oxygen sensor? (Star: loan, buy)

[Strongasabear]

Wondering if anyone can give a ballpark of we can expect to pay. Or is it something my husband might be able to do himself? Thanks.

[katie]

Originally Posted by dinalkulp

Wondering if anyone can give a ballpark of we can expect to pay. Or is it something my husband might be able to do himself? Thanks.

It could be anywhere from 20 to hundreds of dollars. You do need to have a special socket that cost about 30 dollars. If it is frozen in the socket you need torches to get it out. Call around at parts places to see what it would be for your particular car.

[CaliBoy]

Like Katie said. If the O2 sensor is easily accessible, you might be able to simply use a crescent wrench to break it free and install a new one. If there is little space around it, yes, you'll need to pick up a special tool that looks exactly like a regular socket, but with a groove cut out in order to allow passage of the wire that connects to the sensor.

I can't speak for all autos, but oftentimes, you'll find it on or near the exhaust manifold. Your husband will probably want to work on getting it freed after the car has cooled down for the night. But you can also give it a try when it's warm... or torches. The risk of using a substance that breaks seals is that the chemical may ruin the existing sensor. No biggie. Give it a shot. But make sure all the residue of that stuff is removed before putting the new sensor in place. Those little buggers, that look like a spark plug with a wire coming from it, can be sensitive.

I've seen them for around the 60 to hundred buck range... some cars have more than one. Check with your local parts dealer. And, if your car is a 1996 or newer vehicle, a place like AutoZone or Advanced Auto can hook up a computer to your vehicle to help isolate which sensor is going bad if, in fact, you have more than one sensor.

Good luck!

[Starglow]

AutoZone will loan you the special socket "Free" with a deposit to ensure you bring it back. Not all O2 sensors are created equal, so you should shop by brand and then price.

O2 sensors can affect your fuel mileage. If you go with the cheapest price, you might be paying more in the long run in reduced fuel mileage and the sensor may not last as long as a reputable but more expensive brand.

Also pay close attention to see if the replacement O2 comes with just wires or with the electrical connector attached which will also affect the price. If it has an electrical connector, then it's simple plug and play. If it just has the wires, then you either have to splice the connector from the old O2 to the new O2 sensor, or use some other means to connect the new O2 sensor to the engine wiring harness.

Spray some PB Blaster on the threads of the old O2 sensor and let it set... overnight works best, but isn't mandatory. Repeat the application again right before attempting to loosen the sensor. Some of them are hard to get to which can affect how easy it is to replace them.

Most new cars have multiple O2 sensors... one before the catalytic converter and one after it, and sometimes on both sides of the engine exhaust system if it has dual cats installed. Make sure you buy the correct "Front" or "Rear" replacement to match the location of the old O2 sensor.

Oh.... and if you use the wrong tool and round off the socket nut trying to remove the old O2, you're in deep yogurt!

Good Luck!

[saturnfan]

Many trouble codes don't point accurately to the part at fault.

If you're not sure what's really wrong, a good dealer diagnosis and replacement may save you money in the long run.

[esyed]

My honda 04 had the check engine light ON all the time, even after oil change. Turned out to be the o2 sensor and AAA quoted $280, yeah the rippers . Does anyone know if it would be an issue if I wait another 10 months before my emission check is due ? Thanks for reading..

[Starglow]

Originally Posted by esyed

My honda 04 had the check engine light ON all the time, even after oil change. Turned out to be the o2 sensor and AAA quoted $280, yeah the rippers . Does anyone know if it would be an issue if I wait another 10 months before my emission check is due ? Thanks for reading..

You can run it, but your fuel mileage will most likely go down and the engine might run rough at times because the O2 sensor helps the car's computer regulate the fuel mixture based on the O2 and other sensor readings. If they told you which O2 is bad, you could probably change it yourself and save some money.

Obviously, it definitely won't pass NC State inspection with the check engine light on.

[MikeJaquish]

Originally Posted by Starglow

You can run it, but your fuel mileage will most likely go down and the engine might run rough at times because the O2 sensor helps the car's computer regulate the fuel mixture based on the O2 and other sensor readings. If they told you which O2 is bad, you could probably change it yourself and save some money.

Obviously, it definitely won't pass NC State inspection with the check engine light on.

Actually, I ran my F150 for months with the Check Engine light on.
It was running lean. My fuel mileage was up, and then dropped when I had the O2 sensor replaced.

[whiteboyslo]

Originally Posted by esyed

My honda 04 had the check engine light ON all the time, even after oil change. Turned out to be the o2 sensor and AAA quoted $280, yeah the rippers . Does anyone know if it would be an issue if I wait another 10 months before my emission check is due ? Thanks for reading..

1) The 'Check Engine Light' (CEL) in your car goes on for an oil change? I have heard of vehicles having a 'Maintenance Required' light, but throwing the CEL for something as simple as an oil change seems like an unnecessary anxiety attack. Wierd.

2) Do you know WHICH O2 sensor is supposedly bad? You vehicle likely has (2), at least. One is upstream of the catalytic converter, the other is downstream. If it is the upstream one, you may want to get it taken care of more sooner than later. This is the one that affects your air/fuel ratio. It likely won't leave you on the side of the road, but it will affect your fuel economy and may cause some other minor issues. If it's the downstream one, it doesn't matter as much. (I hope I got that right. I may have it backwards).

3) www.autozone.com shows the O2 sensor for a 2004 Honda Accord 4-cyl (I took a guess) as costing $108.99 for the one upstream of the cat and $78.99 for the one downstream. You could save yourself some good money if you do this yourself.

Mike

[MI-Roger]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

Actually, I ran my F150 for months with the Check Engine light on.
It was running lean. My fuel mileage was up, and then dropped when I had the O2 sensor replaced.

Runing lean is a good way to burn valves and melt holes in your pistons. You escaped what could have been a very expensive repair.