Help with P1155 code Please

[jonobp]

Hi everyone. Hoping to get some help here as I've been searching for hours for an answer.

My wife has a 2001 Solara made in 01/01 with Cali. specs. We got a P1155 CEL (A/F Sensor Heater Circuit). I had it into the dealer for a different issue that I wasn't about to tackle and asked the mechanic about the code. He told me that I needed to replace the bank 2 O2 sensor (they wanted $125 to read the code) after looking it up on the computer for me.

I ordered a universal replacement online wired it up and cleared the CEL. It took about 30 seconds (I assume it needed to heat up) and the light came back on. I ordered the replacement O2 sensor because every website I went to did not have an A/F sensor when I put the cars specs in, just O2 sensors.

So, I figured maybe I got a bad sensor. I arranged to return it and called around to the local parts places. All of them just list O2 sensors for an '01 Solara, not A/F sensors so I figured that the ECM won't care and got a Bosch 15733 replacement O2 sensor from Advance. After splicing and putting it in, the same thing happens. I clear the light and after 30 seconds it comes back on. Still just code P1155.

I checked the 25A fuse for the A/F Heater and it looks good. Someone on another thread said that there was a A/F Relay...I can't find this and when I called the dealer for a price there wasn't anything in their computer. I asked about the O2 sensor vs. the A/F sensor and the parts guy typed a bit, hesitated like the didn't know what was up and said that they had one for >$200. I asked if the ECM would know the difference and he didn't know.

So here I am, stuck with a CEL and P1155. I don't want to get an A/F sensor then have it now work...I'm already out a bundle for the O2 sensor. I'm also finding it hard to believe that every auto parts store and website would list an O2 sensor as the replacement for my vehicle and not an A/F sensor if an A/F sensor was really needed. If it was a cheap part I would give it a go but I don't want to drop a lot more money and then get stuck with a part I don't need...these places don't seem to like the idea of returning something once you try it. Though I think if I need an A/F sensor I'm going to push the issue with Advance because this is the part their computer said I needed and no A/F sensors came up at all.

Any help would be greatly appreciated...it's getting late and this project that should have taken 20 minutes has consumed my whole day.

[jonobp]

Wanted to update this incase someone has the same issue and finds this posting.

Basically the 2001 Solara with Cali. specs needs A/F or Wideband O2 sensors for the front atleast. I replaced the part with a Denso 234-9021, the OE part # was 89467-33030 and apparently Bosch makes a 13540 that will work but I haven't tried that so can't confirm.

So don't listen to many online sites or the computers at part shops like Autozone or Advance. They pull up normal O2 sensors as being compatible and these will not work.

I want to say that I'm not affiliated with this site but I feel they need some props for first of knowing what I needed and then being very flexible to get me the part asap (I picked it up from one of the distribution warehouses they use). So please moderators this is not spam, if rules are being broken then please just remove the site name and not the info that could help someone. So...the site was Woody's Auto Supply. I found it searching for part places in NJ and Pick+Pull Junkyards. I needed this part for my wifes care basically today. I saw their site and that they used a distribution center near me. At first I was a little skeptical, they actually list the guys name on the site to contact for orders...so I'm thinking little podunk operation. Well the guy Jack hooked me up, I was able to pickup the part within a few hours once he called the warehouse to pull it for me. I'm not used to service like this, especially when I went through major part places that didn't know wtf I was talking about and just took what the computer told them at face value.

So that is my rate. Props for that site and hopefully anyone needing to replace one of these damn things will find this helpful. Oh, also the actual part is an A/F Ratio Senor which is really a high tech O2 sensor and the box actually just says Oxygen Sensor, but a normal Oxygen sensor will not work unless Wideband.