Oxygen Sensor Failure Ripoff

[mike salway]

Hi,

I have a RAV4 GLX 02, 55k Miles.

Orange light lead me to take it to Toyota (in Bromsgrove) where they replaced a faulty Oxygen sensor for about £275

When I got my car home again, 10 miles later the orange light was back again.

I took it in again and they told me a different oxygen sensor has now gone (in a different bank) and it will be another £275

Naturally I assumed it was something the garage has done but they insist that the second sensor going is just an unlucky coincidence.

Could it be some problem that isn't the sensors? Should Toyota be repairing the second failure for free as it happened "coincidentally" within 10 miles of a repair? Their service manager seems loathe to do much about it and I'm not happy.

- Angry Mike

[bothwell_buyer]

Welcome to the forum. Dunno what it is about Bromsgrove but it has become a den of shady companies. And I've been to Bromsgrove a few times cos one of our charities used to have its meetings there.

I'd maybe look behind the fault; in that something else may be causing the sensors to fail. I'd take the car to a specialist engine tuner and get them to check fuel/air mixture and output gases/temperature. Course the trouble is that with a faulty sensor, you'll now get the engine running wrongly. However I think it warrants a closer look.

Personally, I have more faith with guys who tune up Jap engines as they know a lot more than the dealer (by and large), as that is all they do. Bit like going to a GP rather than a Consultant.

Good luck - and no doubt someone else will maybe post their thoughts. By the way, nothing against Bromsgrove - its a nice place.

[pmb]

I've had 2 go at 250 quid a throw. The heater circuit seems to go o/c after about 5 years. There is only 4 of them! Get yourself a cheap OBD II reader so at least you know what the fault is. Have a search on this and the Avensis forums for oxygen sensors. BTW , if they can't remove it without damaging the cat then it is even more expensive.

[chatman]

I've had 2 go at 250 quid a throw. The heater circuit seems to go o/c after about 5 years. There is only 4 of them! Get yourself a cheap OBD II reader so at least you know what the fault is. Have a search on this and the Avensis forums for oxygen sensors. BTW , if they can't remove it without damaging the cat then it is even more expensive.

I did see some on eBay the other day...so maybe worth giving that a go...Defiantly cheaper than Dealer prices....But you pay for what you get nowadays .

[hedleyf]

These Rav sensors really are the pits, PMB is right in saying that the heater circuits go down and normally when one goes the other is not far behind ,the two that normally give trouble are the two before the cat they are refered to as air/fuel ratio sensors the post cat ones being your 02 sensors,they are easy to change and dont normally strip the threads, good advice like PMB says is to maybe get a code reader this would tell you which sensor is giving trouble, you can also check the resistence between the two silver pins in the connector block,two silver and two gold, this should be around 13 ohms,

Hedley.

[bothwell_buyer]

The best way is to get rid of the cat; and put in a clear exhaust. Easyjet and Ryanair will look after your CO2 emissions. BA will lose yer cases and BMI will just argue that you hadn't actually booked with them.........

[Wudzy]

The best way is to get rid of the cat; and put in a clear exhaust. Easyjet and Ryanair will look after your CO2 emissions. BA will lose yer cases and BMI will just argue that you hadn't actually booked with them.........

There is a cheaper alternative......a Canary (any colour but colur coordination looks better, with a nice guilt cage hanging from the interior mirror) this would be a very accurate Oxygen sensor and also someone to talk to on your journeys........... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[anchorman]

I've seen some posts suggesting that for fault codes P0420 and P0430 (usually recorded at the same time) the only solution is to fit both oxygen sensors and the cat. However, I had one come to me about a fortnight ago. I cancelled the codes and the light has stayed off sinse. It came on during a long drive so we are waiting to see what happens on his next long journey.

[bothwell_buyer]

I've seen some posts suggesting that for fault codes P0420 and P0430 (usually recorded at the same time) the only solution is to fit both oxygen sensors and the cat. However, I had one come to me about a fortnight ago. I cancelled the codes and the light has stayed off sinse. It came on during a long drive so we are waiting to see what happens on his next long journey.

Ah jist removed the cat - cheaper.

[Hoovie]

I got a O2 Sensor warning on my (ahem) Honda HR-V and the garage wanted £350 to replace and warned my that usually when they remove it, the thing it is fitted into (sorry, they did say what it was - I just don't recall) usually breaks as well and if that happened, it would be an extra £250 or something

Like "well, we may break something else when we are fixing your car, but we will charge you if we do"

Asked them the impact of not replacing it and they said it would be fine until it actually failed - so left it and was still in there ok when I sold the car ^_^

What exactly does the O2 sensors do, anyway?

[bothwell_buyer]

I got a O2 Sensor warning on my (ahem) Honda HR-V and the garage wanted £350 to replace and warned my that usually when they remove it, the thing it is fitted into (sorry, they did say what it was - I just don't recall) usually breaks as well and if that happened, it would be an extra £250 or something

Like "well, we may break something else when we are fixing your car, but we will charge you if we do"

Asked them the impact of not replacing it and they said it would be fine until it actually failed - so left it and was still in there ok when I sold the car ^_^

What exactly does the O2 sensors do, anyway?

Tells you when ever the O2 transmitter is in range?

Or, speaks to the ecu to say mixture is wrong and to modify it....modern electronics - in the good old days, we could tell from the colour of the spark plug!

[anchorman]

This is quite a nice explanation (not that yours isn't bothy );

And this tells you a bit more................

and more still................

Bothy. I thought most plugs were white with blue writing. Does that mean the engine is OK? :P

[dawesy]

to be fair you dont need an OE sensor they are available from motor factors.

for a garage to warn you that if something breaks during a repair that they will charge for it is fair as long as adequate care is taken to prevent it. although in the case of an O2 sensor the the only real problem is stripping the threads on the boss it fits in, these can re repaired using the correct size tap

[bothwell_buyer]

English plugs must be different - oh now wait a minute - are you referring to Champion plugs??

Plugs up here are mainly white wi 3 pins. If they change colour yer too late cos the hoose has burnt down.....

The plugs on ma RAV seem to vary from white to yellow to black.

And the car has noo been turned back tae look ornary, as the bullbar came off the day wi all the lights. Cannae gae oot in the dark any mair

[anchorman]

Glad them lights have gone - I didn't want to ride around Warrington with it looking like that!!!!!!!

[bothwell_buyer]

Glad them lights have gone - I didn't want to ride around Warrington with it looking like that!!!!!!!

Ye - ah suppose its less to nick now!

[The Iceman]

This was in the news not too long ago wasn't it with the dodgy supermarket fuel and garages running out of oxygen sensors due to the high demand.

[bothwell_buyer]

This was in the news not too long ago wasn't it with the dodgy supermarket fuel and garages running out of oxygen sensors due to the high demand.

It was. I got warned off using supermarket petrol a few years ago, before all that happened.

[anchorman]

Glad them lights have gone - I didn't want to ride around Warrington with it looking like that!!!!!!!

Ye - ah suppose its less to nick now!

If you're worried about getting your vehicle nicked come in the LR!

[anchorman]

This was in the news not too long ago wasn't it with the dodgy supermarket fuel and garages running out of oxygen sensors due to the high demand.

I only use high grade diesel in mine but its worrying now 100% mortgages are no longer available.

Is it me or has the diesel gone up every week since about the beginning of the year? Is diesel harder to make than petrol or something?? I'm amazed the haulage industry hasn't dug in yet.

[valeite]

This was in the news not too long ago wasn't it with the dodgy supermarket fuel and garages running out of oxygen sensors due to the high demand.

I only use high grade diesel in mine but its worrying now 100% mortgages are no longer available.

Is it me or has the diesel gone up every week since about the beginning of the year? Is diesel harder to make than petrol or something?? I'm amazed the haulage industry hasn't dug in yet.

The official stance is that there are now more diesel powered cars on the road and the fuel companies have not kept pace with the demand with their manufacturing facilities. Hence diesel is in tight supply and therefore commands a higher price. BBC News about three weeks ago. :o

[bothwell_buyer]

Glad them lights have gone - I didn't want to ride around Warrington with it looking like that!!!!!!!

Ye - ah suppose its less to nick now!

If you're worried about getting your vehicle nicked come in the LR!

I'd need to set off last year to get down there in time. Don't try red diesel in the motor cos its rubbish. Try asking Harry Ramsdens fur their auld oil!

[chatman]

The official stance is that there are now more diesel powered cars on the road and the fuel companies have not kept pace with the demand with their manufacturing facilities. Hence diesel is in tight supply and therefore commands a higher price. BBC News about three weeks ago. :o

And there's me thinking it was all to do with greedy profit hungry oil companies :rolleyes:

As it is they cant make it quicker enough....DOH!!!!!!

[anchorman]

The official stance is that there are now more diesel powered cars on the road and the fuel companies have not kept pace with the demand with their manufacturing facilities. Hence diesel is in tight supply and therefore commands a higher price. BBC News about three weeks ago. :o

And there's me thinking it was all to do with greedy profit hungry oil companies :rolleyes:

As it is they cant make it quicker enough....DOH!!!!!!

We get shafted because of their crap planning and forcasting - typical.

[bothwell_buyer]

The official stance is that there are now more diesel powered cars on the road and the fuel companies have not kept pace with the demand with their manufacturing facilities. Hence diesel is in tight supply and therefore commands a higher price. BBC News about three weeks ago. :o

And there's me thinking it was all to do with greedy profit hungry oil companies :rolleyes:

As it is they cant make it quicker enough....DOH!!!!!!

We get shafted because of their crap planning and forcasting - typical.

100litres of red diesel - to the highest bidder!!!