P0133, O2 Sensor, Check Engine Light, Code reset

Newkleus · 09-13-2010, 10:01 AM

When you guys are getting P0133, does it always go away when the O2 sensor is replaced?

Here is what I am dealing with. The Mechanic put on the front o2 for me as I was getting P0133, and had a CEL when I brought the car in to the mechanic.

Now does the CEL immediately go off when the O2 sensor is installed? When I picked up the car on 9/3 after the O2 was installed the check engine light was on. (The mechanic said the code was reset). Beginning to not believe him.

The CEL stayed on from 9/1 until 9/11 when the code was reset at autozone in front of my two eyes. But the scanner at autozone still revealed P0133. Does the CEL go off automatically following installation of a new O2 sensor? Or does it take a number of drive cycles for that to happen? Why was I still throwing P0133, even though the new sensor was installed?

I got the new O2 sensor from Steve at Tousley.

Please help

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***sailor*** · 09-13-2010, 05:19 PM

Posted via FF MobileNeeds reset, or intermittent codes would disappear....

6SPD_soul · 09-13-2010, 06:37 PM

With most cars the CEL won't immediately turn off even if the condition that tripped it is no longer present, not sure why. I think if you disconnect the battery for a bit it will start from scratch and if the condition is corrected the code should no longer be present, but then the ECU will also have to re-learn the conditions of the vehicle and will not run optimally for a bit, but those are likely changes you won't even notice. Otherwise just drive the car for a while, if the condition is fixed the CEL will go off pretty soon. I wouldn't worry too much about it, the technician probably did his job right.

EDIT: Here is more info on resetting the CEL. http://www.auto-facts.org/resetcheckenginelight.html

Newkleus · 09-17-2010, 08:08 AM

Thanks for the information guys. I went to autozone, it still scanned P0133 8 days after the O2 sensor was installed. The guy reset it on 9/11 and the CEL hasn't come back on since.

03FocusZX3 · 09-17-2010, 03:03 PM

gratz! lol

Newkleus · 08-15-2012, 09:53 AM

Check Engine Light came back on again two days ago. Not sure what code it is for, but is it possible that the O2 sensor needs to be replaced again?

Platinumethics · 08-15-2012, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newkleus

Check Engine Light came back on again two days ago. Not sure what code it is for, but is it possible that the O2 sensor needs to be replaced again?

Your sensor really shouldn't trip the CEL a year later. I had both upstream and downstream on my car for 4 1/2 years after I originally replaced them, only to find out it was my cat that was the problem and not the sensors. You may want to test a new sensor on them, but try to see if you can find someone with the same car to test their sensor. It may be a waste of a new sensor only to find out your problem could be something else. When my cat went, it threw sensor codes, even after I replaced them. Try to solve it cheaper unless you know for a fact what it is.

Newkleus · 08-16-2012, 10:07 AM

It has been two years, btw, with the new O2 sensor. I have like half of heatshield for the catalytic converter, and the top of it rattles like hell. The bottom part of the heatshield for the catalytic converter is gone. I will go to Autozone this week and get the codes scanned.

Platinumethics · 08-16-2012, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newkleus

It has been two years, btw, with the new O2 sensor. I have like half of heatshield for the catalytic converter, and the top of it rattles like hell. The bottom part of the heatshield for the catalytic converter is gone. I will go to Autozone this week and get the codes scanned.

If you plan on keeping the car a while, definitely get the heat shield replaced. I wrapped the headers and pipes with lava rock wrap when I replaced my cat. The temperature control helps avoid excess heat getting to items in your engine bay that can't withstand high heat, such as plastic, some hoses. It also helps the cat operate at a more stable temperature.