Update from the no warranty guinea pig - Repair #2 Oxygen Sensors

[RMcQ]

About 12,000 miles ago I told the forum that I would be the guinea pig for the group to test ownership without warranty. Today I am posting with the 2nd noteworthy event in this experiment.

My car started throwing codes related to the oxygen sensors. I actually posted this problem here last week I believe. At that time it was "internal resistance too high." With my Bentley I learned that this error is related to the heating element in the sensor but not the actual performance of the sensor. After carefully checking the wiring and cleaning the connectors I started getting "faulty circuit" and eventually one cylinder bank went to "B1S1 no activity."

Anyway, something up and killed both of my pre-cat oxygen sensors. It is too coincidental that they both failed at once so it must have been caused by a contaminant or something. Possible bad fuel? Who knows, but the sensors were gone and I have no warranty.

So I checked with my favorite parts source vwparts.com and a new OEM sensor is about $180 and I needed two. OUCH!

Being the crafty guinea pig that I am I crept over to the S4 forum to learn that there is a VW part number that is the identical Bosch 4-wire heated sensor with a different plastic plug for the wiring. Get this, the VW part costs $22.96. For future reference the part number is 06A906262Q and it can be purchased at this link.



To install the VW sensors you have to first remove the old ones from the car and then splice the old plugs onto the new sensors. Basically match up the 4 wires by color and splice it together. I did a really thorough job with solder and heat shrink tubing as well as covering the whole splice with the plastic cover that was on the wiring to begin with. Nobody looking in there could ever tell that they are spliced in without taking things apart. I do not consider this to be a "hack" repair to save a few $.

Removing or installing the pre-cat sensors in the allroad requires a oxygen sensor socket (with split is side to accomodate wiring) and a really long extension. You attack them from above and diagonally from either side behind the engine.

Anyway, the real point of the update is this. I am at 62,000 miles and have had to pay the following out of pocket:

$180.22 - Fan Control Module
$53.95 - 2 Oxygen Sensors

$234.17 - Total cost out of warranty as of this post

Of course I also have significant labor invested as well, but I can't quantify that as easily. I actually much prefer doing it myself anyway so I see it more as a benefit than a cost. This is the only way to know that it was done right.

One final thought - if I were covered by an extended warranty would it have even covered this? Are O2 sensors considered consumables?

[AR_for_me]

Way to go!

I have owned Porsches in the past and discovered the same thing with parts......factory part $$$, exact generic replacement $. Yes, most mechancis will tell you that O2 sensors are consumables and should be/can go bad anywhere past 50K miles. On thing though, they might have been covered under the emissions warranty which is usually longer then the "new-car" warranty. Don't have an owners manual in front of me know, so not sure on this.

[itacud]

Thanks for the updates, the part numbers, and the pics. Though I read your S4 thread, it's nice the get the summary here at home. =)

[Milpitas2.7T]

And kudos on doing yo own work!

[rr_allroad]

[skidmark]

rear 02 sensors have a blk,gry,and 2 white wires. was worried i work cross up the 2 white wires, don't know if it would matter

[baxter]

[happy allroader]

And they were both over $200 each. The service guy said Volvo check engine light sometimes gives a false reading so he would check the code, reset the light for me. After the 3rd time with the same code for the oxygen sensor I had him fix it. It made no difference (for the Volvo) as far as how it ran. I fixed it because I felt guilty I might be polluting.

Good work finding such a much cheaper alternative to the Audi part.

[RMcQ]

the current goes through.

[RMcQ]

pre-cat and post-cat for each bank.