Problem with oxygen sensor threads

[Town Car]

My 2000 Avalon XL with 89,800 miles had to go in for a check engine light. My mechanic replaced the oxygen sensor, but mentioned to me that that it was very difficult to remove because evidently anti seize wasn't used when it was installed. Two weeks later I returned the car to my mechanic with check engine light on again. This time it was the other oxygen sensor and to remove and replace this one he had to remove the manifold in order to get replace the oxygen sensor. Again he told me these both should have been easily removed but that evidently anti seize compound wasn't used on either of these when they were installed. I have to assume this was a factory error as this car never had these sensors removed or replaced since the car was new.

Any one ever here of this probelem.

[Jeff Lange]

The factory never uses anti-seize on the oxygen sensors. When replacing a threaded-in oxygen sensor on cars we usually order in the manifold because we have had issues in the past with them stripping out.

It doesn't always happen, but it can happen, and it's best to be prepared before you start. It's usually a pretty pricey affair.

[ChiTDI]

Does Toyota recognize this as a manufacturing error??

[Town Car]

So if the factory doesn't use anti seize compound on the o2 sensors does that mean my experience is rare? You are right it was expensive $600 bucks for the second one and that was with $322 in labor alone.

[Jeff Lange]

I wouldn't say rare, but it's not all that common. I mean we always order in the manifold just in case, but most of the time we end up sending it back.

[ManyMods]

I'm just chiming in here because I had a 2000 and same thing happened to it. My son has the car now and the last time I saw him, and while I was with him the engine check light went on. As I recall, the O2 sensor where the threads were stripped was #1, and it was not that long ago (~25K miles) when I had the last one replaced. It cost me about $300 this time to have the sensor replaced again. I'm glad I was around because my son could not have afforded that unexpected repair on his own.

- Peter