Duff Lambda Sensor

[El Bee]

Anybody know if it can cause any harm to the engine driving with a duff lambda sensor for 2 weeks?

The mechanic at the Toyota dealer has decided that's what is causing the 3 warning lights on the dashboard, but says he there's not one in Spain, or the parts place in Belgium so it's coming from Japan and he's booked the car in to have it fixed on 8th June.

As I understand it this could be detrimental to fuel consumption/emmissions but would it cause any lasting damage?

Lee

[anchorman]

I doubt it will cause any damage but it seems a shot in the dark. You don't know the fault code do you?

Parts from Japan are understandably very slow at the mo.

[El Bee]

I doubt it will cause any damage but it seems a shot in the dark. You don't know the fault code do you?

Parts from Japan are understandably very slow at the mo.

OK ta, that's reassuring.

Sorry, no idea of the fault code, it was as much as I could do to understand the fault diagnosis and when to bring the car back to be fixed

I thought that wasn't bad really, just under 2 weeks to get a part from Japan, given the chaos they've had this year - makes me wonder though, if there's none available in Europe could there be lots of them going duff at once?

Lee

[jedi134]

I always take "its the Lambada sensor thats faulty" as we don`t know but just to get rid of you for a while we`ll say it is that.

I could be wrong thou?

Do diesels have lambda sensors?????????????????????????????????

[anchorman]

Yes they do (probably better referred to as oxygen sensors) but I have not heard of one go on a 4.3, thats why I would like the code. They compare the oxygen inside the exhaust with the oxygen outside and there are occasions when they can be fooled for a split second and measure something just out of range, e.g. when changing gear at high revs, bump starting when there is vehicle motion but NO exhaust etc.

These can be cleared and never come back because the sensor isn't faulty.

[shcm]

Do diesels have lambda sensors?????????????????????????????????

Yes they do (probably better referred to as oxygen sensors) but I have not heard of one go on a 4.3,

Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not completely certain about this, but being punctilious :) and to prevent people getting the wrong end of the stick, isn't it just the 2.2D fitted with the DPF (particulate filter) that has lambda/oxygen/air-fuel ratio/lambada(:D) sensors fitted?

i.e. T180s (2AD-FHV) and I believe some models in mainland Europe with the "standard" (2AD-FTV) 2.2D also have the DPF, will therefore have the sensor(s) and it's not all 2.2D that have λ-sensors?

[El Bee]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not completely certain about this, but being punctilious :) and to prevent people getting the wrong end of the stick, isn't it just the 2.2D fitted with the DPF (particulate filter) that has lambda/oxygen/air-fuel ratio/lambada(:D) sensors fitted?

i.e. T180s (2AD-FHV) and I believe some models in mainland Europe with the "standard" (2AD-FTV) 2.2D also have the DPF, will therefore have the sensor(s) and it's not all 2.2D that have λ-sensors?

Weeeeell, when the warning lights came on 8 days ago the mechanic said it was one (of two) sensors reporting a fault, he said that as the fault cleared immediately then he thought the sensor was not, itself, at fault and that it could have been dirt or water in the fuel caused it.

.

The light came back on after about 10kms (same lights) and went in on Thursday for the full diagnostic bit when he said the lambda sensor was at fault, again the car came back without the warning lights but they came on again after a short time driving.

If it's any help/interest the VIN is JTMZC31V60D****** with XA3(A) / ALA35(WD) as the "variant"

Lee

[shcm]

If it's any help/interest the VIN is JTMZC31V60D****** with XA3(A) / ALA35(WD) as the "variant"

Yeah, consulting the parts catalogue, that one does have an air/fuel ratio sensor.

Mine doesn't :P

I probably got it slightly wrong. There would appear to be 3 fueling system types, referred to in the catalogue, which I think probably goes something like:

DCR (Diesel common rail) (Mine - 2ADFTV Eng)

DCRE (Diesel common rail, low emissions) (Yours - 2ADFTV Eng)

DCRL (Diesel CR lowest pollution) (T180 etc, 2ADFHV Engine, DCAT?).

[El Bee]

If it's any help/interest the VIN is JTMZC31V60D****** with XA3(A) / ALA35(WD) as the "variant"

Yeah, consulting the parts catalogue, that one does have an air/fuel ratio sensor.

Mine doesn't :P

<shrug> One less bit to go worng

I probably got it slightly wrong. There would appear to be 3 fueling system types, referred to in the catalogue, which I think probably goes something like:

DCR (Diesel common rail) (Mine - 2ADFTV Eng)

DCRE (Diesel common rail, low emissions) (Yours - 2ADFTV Eng)

DCRL (Diesel CR lowest pollution) (T180 etc, 2ADFHV Engine, DCAT?).

So where do you get the above designations from? I thought the (i.e.) 2ADFTV might have been an engine number prefix, but I can't even find the engine number on mine and our equivalent of a V5 does not give an engine number :!Removed!:

Lee

[shcm]

So where do you get the above designations from?

Standard Toyota engine nomenclature I believe. For example if you look at the repair manuals on:

http://www.toyota-tech.eu/

You'll see 2AD-FHV,2AD-FTV,1AZ-FE,2AZ-FE etc. They get referenced in TSBs too.

[El Bee]

So where do you get the above designations from?

Standard Toyota engine nomenclature I believe. For example if you look at the repair manuals on:

http://www.toyota-tech.eu/

You'll see 2AD-FHV,2AD-FTV,1AZ-FE,2AZ-FE etc. They get referenced in TSBs too.

Ta for that link shcm, interesting stuff, I followed the http://www.toyota-tech.eu/legacy/Toy/vinhelp.asp?lang=en and it shows 3 possible locations for the numbers - I must be getting blind or stupid but can't find it at any of the given (drivers door pillar, inside RH wing or centre rear bulkhead) in fact, I can't find the VIN or engine number anywhere

I've even taken the top cover off and found the Exasperating Valve, didn't investigate further though - frustrating having a car undr warranty innit.

Lee

[Davrav]

So where do you get the above designations from?

Standard Toyota engine nomenclature I believe. For example if you look at the repair manuals on:

http://www.toyota-tech.eu/

You'll see 2AD-FHV,2AD-FTV,1AZ-FE,2AZ-FE etc. They get referenced in TSBs too.

Ta for that link shcm, interesting stuff, I followed the http://www.toyota-tech.eu/legacy/Toy/vinhelp.asp?lang=en and it shows 3 possible locations for the numbers - I must be getting blind or stupid but can't find it at any of the given (drivers door pillar, inside RH wing or centre rear bulkhead) in fact, I can't find the VIN or engine number anywhere

I've even taken the top cover off and found the Exasperating Valve, didn't investigate further though - frustrating having a car undr warranty innit.

Lee

Have a look through the bottom of the screen, on the driver side for LHD I imagine. There should be a clear strip in the black shaded area under the wiper. VIN under there if as UK models.

[shcm]

I'm not certain whether the engine serial number will include the engine "model" code:

[anchorman]

Its also on every door. Need to wash some of that Spanish sand off Lee

[El Bee]

Its also on every door. Need to wash some of that Spanish sand off Lee

That's dust off the Sahara that is, I think the Camel Jockeys have had a Grand Prix or summat and the dust blows over here. I was actually daft enough to go around looking under the doors to see if they had a VIN - they don't appear too

There's definitley no numbers visible through the screen though, that was the first place I looked - that's where it was on my last 2 UK cars, I did find the one under the passenger seat, cunningly hidden behind a plastic panel - and eventually found the one on the driver's door pillar, I was looking inside for that but it's just another sticker, on the outside, next to the one telling you to use Toyota "Low Ash" 5w-30 Oil :!Removed!: As well as the VIN and EU compliance numbers it gives Model ALA35L-BWFGRW.

I was thinking about doing an oil/filter change at 7500kms but the oil is hardly dirty - is it worth bothering?

Lee

[anchorman]

It should have the VIN visible in a little window in the black bit at the bottom of the screen.

If your mileage is mainly all at normal working temp, there should be no need to change it. This new engine hardly turns it black.

[El Bee]

It should have the VIN visible in a little window in the black bit at the bottom of the screen.

You're dead right, it should be there but it's deffo not, maybe there's some reason for it, I dunno, but there's not one there.

If your mileage is mainly all at normal working temp, there should be no need to change it. This new engine hardly turns it black.

It really is odd, the engine is now at 7300km, nigh on 5000 miles and I've never seen oil in a diesel so clean.

It's quiet too, a recent post on here mentioned a "noisy" 2.2 diesel, must say mine is incredibly quiet. As an example, we car share going to the shooting club, my previous car (a VW 1.9TDi) was described by one of the guys (a Ford diesel driver) as unbelieveably quiet - at first he would not believe the Toyota actually WAS a diesel, at normal speeds (about 120 kph) all you hear is the tyre noise, there's a few sections up towards Alicante where they're trying out a new low noise road surface and it's unbeliveable, almost total silence.

And, if the Toyota salesman is to be believed the camchain is tested to 1,500,000 kilometres MTBF!

Do we believe car salesmen though ?

Lee

[anchorman]

The chain will be bought in and he is probably right. That may well be the minimum tested based on hours on an engine dynamometer but capable of very much more as long as the oil is changed at the recommended interval.

[El Bee]

The chain will be bought in and he is probably right. That may well be the minimum tested based on hours on an engine dynamometer but capable of very much more as long as the oil is changed at the recommended interval.

So the chain probably has a longer life expectancy than I do

Sort of brings "life" into perspective eh? Soddit, I'm off down the beach then the pub - well, if my life expectancy is less than a chain in me motah there's no point in worrying about skin cancer and cirrosis (sp?) of the liver.....

Lee