Check engine light blues

[padutchguy]

I got the check engine light blues. Here in PA we have yearly safety and emissions inspections performed at the mechanics shop and mine is due this month-August. Last month the check engine light first came on. I can't afford repairs so I unplug the battery for a while, reconnect it, hose down the engine (I keep it immaculate), and run it for 15 minutes and the light does not come back on! I'm thinking great! Problem solved! But then as the end of this month draws near the *&^%$ light comes back on. I make the emissions appointment thinking that I'll use my trick again. It doesn't work--the light is now on all the time even if I leave the battery disconnected overnight. I take my car to the place I always get my inspections done; I trust them. They say for safety I need rear brake pads, $100, the inspections $50, and an oxygen sensor $275=463 total with a preferred customer discount. I wait around the shop for half a day, thinking at least I'll get it done in one day, but the tech comes in and says the light still won't go off so there is a short in the wiring somewhere and he needs me to bring it back next week after I drive it around for a while, for another half day. I'm broke, was out of work for a year and just getting back on my feet, and spend $463 that I didn't have on this so far, but I figure I'll just be late on the rent a few days and suck it up. Doubt sets in when I get home and read in my Haynes Avalon Repair Manual that there are 2 types of sensors - oxygen and air/fuel ratio and they are very different. My code is 1135 which is air/fuel ratio sensor heater or circuit fault. Did my shop replace an air/fuel sensor with an oxygen sensor? So, I do a search online for an air/fuel ratio sensor and get like 1 match and it doesn't seem to be valid. Then I do an oxygen sensor search for my avy and get tons of matches, so I'm thinking that's just semantics. This manual also says that the check engine light is supposed to be called the malfunction light or somesuch. Can anyone lend some wisdom, insight, similar experience to this scenario? It would be much appreciated. I have a 2002 Avalon XLS bench seat cloth interior cherry condition, 114,000 miles and use Mobil 1.

[bobflood]

Originally Posted by padutchguy

I got the check engine light blues. Here in PA we have yearly safety and emissions inspections performed at the mechanics shop and mine is due this month-August. Last month the check engine light first came on. I can't afford repairs so I unplug the battery for a while, reconnect it, hose down the engine (I keep it immaculate), and run it for 15 minutes and the light does not come back on! I'm thinking great! Problem solved! But then as the end of this month draws near the *&^%$ light comes back on. I make the emissions appointment thinking that I'll use my trick again. It doesn't work--the light is now on all the time even if I leave the battery disconnected overnight. I take my car to the place I always get my inspections done; I trust them. They say for safety I need rear brake pads, $100, the inspections $50, and an oxygen sensor $275=463 total with a preferred customer discount. I wait around the shop for half a day, thinking at least I'll get it done in one day, but the tech comes in and says the light still won't go off so there is a short in the wiring somewhere and he needs me to bring it back next week after I drive it around for a while, for another half day. I'm broke, was out of work for a year and just getting back on my feet, and spend $463 that I didn't have on this so far, but I figure I'll just be late on the rent a few days and suck it up. Doubt sets in when I get home and read in my Haynes Avalon Repair Manual that there are 2 types of sensors - oxygen and air/fuel ratio and they are very different. My code is 1135 which is air/fuel ratio sensor heater or circuit fault. Did my shop replace an air/fuel sensor with an oxygen sensor? So, I do a search online for an air/fuel ratio sensor and get like 1 match and it doesn't seem to be valid. Then I do an oxygen sensor search for my avy and get tons of matches, so I'm thinking that's just semantics. This manual also says that the check engine light is supposed to be called the malfunction light or somesuch. Can anyone lend some wisdom, insight, similar experience to this scenario? It would be much appreciated. I have a 2002 Avalon XLS bench seat cloth interior cherry condition, 114,000 miles and use Mobil 1.

Air/fuel sensors are just a more modern version of O2 sensors; lots of people still call them O2 sensors so it's really just semantics. The code 1135 is for an A/F sensor heater circit malfunction; if replacing the sensor didn't fix it, then looking for a wiring fault is the next thing. BTW, Advance or Auto Zone or O'Reilly's will usually read the codes for you for nothing when your Check Engine light comes on.

[padutchguy]

thanks for the info. I got it fixed, apparently both the upstream sensors were bad. Cost me $700 total, including brakes and inspection.

[TedL]

For DIY's willing to invest about 1/2 hour of time, the AFR sensors by OE supplier Denso can be had for about $100 apiece.

[padutchguy]

I priced the sensors. 169 and 189 on autozone.

[TedL]

Originally Posted by padutchguy

I priced the sensors. 169 and 189 on autozone.

Prices vary by retailer. Someone's paying for all those AZ TV ads.

I purchased the two AFR sensors for my 2003 Avalon for $95.71 apiece. Denso #234-9021. Total delivered to my home, $199.14. Like I said, around $100 apiece.

Denso's catalog lists the same PN for the 2002.

[macfred]

Yes. I just solved the 1135 with a sensor from Amazon for $98 and mechanic from Craigslist that came to my house for $50. I originally failed Illinois test with an MIL error, and that went away, too. 2004 Avalon. My check engine bulb must be out, and so I had no prior notice before the test.