02 Sensor replacements....

[mattmro444]

My car is a base-model FWD with about 80,000 miles on it. I had the computer scanned at O'Reillys. It was a P1071 "Running Lean" Bank 1 code. I cleaned the MAF sensor and checked for vacuum leaks. I reset the CEL light when I cleaned the MAF by disconnecting the battery. 85 miles later, the CEL light came back on. I took it to the local mechanic and he said it needs a new upstream o2 sensor (based on their diagnosis). They wanted $245 for the sensor. I thought that was a bit STEEP!

Anyways, my question is, is an Air Fuel Sensor the same thing as an o2 sensor? Also, the mechanic said my Vibe requires a heated o2 sensor, which the Denso product is heated.

Thanks
MRO Supply

 

[wip99gt]

Possibly. I will depend on the engine but considering you're getting a bank 1 code then I doubt that they're the same. I've had this issue with a CTS I owned for a while and found a moisture in a connection on the engine harness that was causing it. When you get a lean code up then there is a low voltage usually under .5 volt so any corrsion/resistance in the harness could cause this problem. Look through the harness first. Also what did you clean the sensors with? Certain chemicals like brake clean will screw them up. Here's a pretty good pdf file about these sensors:
http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h37.pdf

 

[SkyBill40]

No, an A/F ratio sensor is not the same as an O2 sensor. As for the sensor itself, you can source them from any number of online retailers. I had to buy one for my wife's BMW 330Ci and replaced it. If I recall correctly, it was ~ $150 or so. It was a relatively easy fix and I'm sure your situation would turn out to be the same so long as you've got some tools, some time, and are decently adept at working on vehicles. There's no shortage of videos on YouTube to assist you should you have some uncertainty about what to do or what to look for.

And sometimes you need to take your car in and have the fault cleared after you've replaced the sensor. Disconnecting the battery isn't as sure a thing as you might think.

Good luck.