Expensive O2 sensor

The service station manager claims that the "check engine" light was
due to a faulty O2 sensor in my '02 Sienna XLE. Says the list price on
that sensor is $395, plus $100 labor for installation. (Vehicle is out
of warranty). Is his cost outrageous, or is that what any dealer would
charge?

Thanks for any help.

Lena

$395??? That's a bit on the high side. About $200 high, and that a
conservative estimate. When I have bought O2 sensors for my cars, the cost
was under $100, and they screw in just like a spark plug.

I have to wonder if this is the sort of thing that is covered by the
emission system warranty. It's worth the call to find out.




<lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1119439102.437211.248530@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> The service station manager claims that the "check engine" light was
> due to a faulty O2 sensor in my '02 Sienna XLE. Says the list price on
> that sensor is $395, plus $100 labor for installation. (Vehicle is out
> of warranty). Is his cost outrageous, or is that what any dealer would
> charge?
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> Lena
>[/color]

On 22 Jun 2005 04:18:22 -0700, [email]lenagainster@gmail.com[/email] wrote:
[color=blue]
>The service station manager claims that the "check engine" light was
>due to a faulty O2 sensor in my '02 Sienna XLE. Says the list price on
>that sensor is $395, plus $100 labor for installation. (Vehicle is out
>of warranty). Is his cost outrageous, or is that what any dealer would
>charge?[/color]


I don't think so, the OX sensor is like a spark plug, part by itself
maybe usd$50. I can't believe it's so hidden that it takes that much
effort to replace. Get a second opinion.

<lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1119439102.437211.248530@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> The service station manager claims that the "check engine" light was
> due to a faulty O2 sensor in my '02 Sienna XLE. Says the list price on
> that sensor is $395, plus $100 labor for installation. (Vehicle is out
> of warranty). Is his cost outrageous, or is that what any dealer would
> charge?
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
> Lena
>[/color]
An O2 sensor should be covered by a 5 year, 50,000 miles emissions warranty
in the U.S.

Was the service facility that gave you the price a Toyota dealer or
someplace else? If it was not a Toyota dealer and your car is less than 5
years old and has less than 50,000 miles, take it to the dealer.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

When I read the fine print in my warranty book, it is very specific
about what is covered and for how long. All parts, including emission
parts, are covered by the 3 year, 36000 mile warranty. There are
exceptions on certain emission parts, for an 8 year 80000 mile
coverage, but the O2 sensors are not included. And this is the same
information the service manager at a local Toyota dealer told me. The
only other way around would be to take the car to an emission
inspection station, and if it fails, then Toyota would have to cover
the cost. But the emission stations in MD will not do an unscheduled
emission test.

Back to the original question: (should have asked the service
manager); is the $395 list price on one of the sensors (Sensor One?)
correct or over inflated?

Lena

It's sounds on the money. Believe me, I've had three of them fail since
I bought my '03 Camry. I also was told it was a 3year 36 month deal.

Luckily, I'm still covered. This last time, they also decided to
replace the ECM under warranty, thinking it may have to due with the
sensor problems. That's about $1,200 for the part. Hopefully you
aren't headed that direction.

Oh, as an aside, you can get a cheaper aftermarket sensor -- maybe save
$100, but I've heard mixed reviews on how reliable the Bosch is....

My newsreader is going haywire, so hope I am not triple posting.

For the OEM Toyota sensor that price is about right. I've gone through
three of the little beasts. Lucky mine have all been under warranty.
You can get an aftermarket Bosch "universal" sensor for less, but I've
heard mixed reviews on the Bosch. But, then again, I've gone through
three of the Toyota sensors in two years....

<timbirr@mailcity.com> wrote in message
news:1119467020.735892.85830@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> My newsreader is going haywire, so hope I am not triple posting.
>
> For the OEM Toyota sensor that price is about right. I've gone through
> three of the little beasts. Lucky mine have all been under warranty.
> You can get an aftermarket Bosch "universal" sensor for less, but I've
> heard mixed reviews on the Bosch. But, then again, I've gone through
> three of the Toyota sensors in two years....
>[/color]

I would wonder why you are going through sensors like that. They are
normally pretty reliable. Some things to check would be the use of RTV
FIPG that is not O2 sensor friendly or a loose wire in the sensor circuit.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

Thanks for all the responses. A little more searching and I find that
there are three O2 sensors; Bank 1 Sensor 1, Bank 1 Sensor 2 and Bank 2
Sensor 1. Don't know which one was determined to be faulty, or if the
error code just says one of the O2 sensors is bad. The tech has to
unplug a cable and read the resistance across certain wires (11 to 16
ohms). Replacing one of the sensors (Bank two, I think) requires
removing the passenger seat and the carpeting to get at the sensor.
These are "heated" sensors, which probably adds to the cost. I've had
a basic O2 sensor replaced on a Chevy, and it is just like a spark
plug, easy to get at and reasonably priced. Not so apparently with
Toyota. And none of the preventive maintenance I've done could prevent
this failure.

Lena

On 22 Jun 2005 14:37:03 -0700, "Lena" <lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>plug, easy to get at and reasonably priced. Not so apparently with
>Toyota.[/color]

If u thought Japanese are expensive, try owning one of them German
cars.

[color=blue]
> And none of the preventive maintenance I've done could prevent
>this failure.[/color]

Shop around, sounds like u can do better.

For cheaper price on O2 sensor check with [url]http://www.oxygensensors.com/[/url]

Good luck,
Vance

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 12:24:45 -0500, Ray O wrote:
[color=blue]
>
> <lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1119439102.437211.248530@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
>> The service station manager claims that the "check engine" light was
>> due to a faulty O2 sensor in my '02 Sienna XLE. Says the list price on
>> that sensor is $395, plus $100 labor for installation. (Vehicle is out
>> of warranty). Is his cost outrageous, or is that what any dealer would
>> charge?
>>
>> Thanks for any help.
>>
>> Lena
>>[/color]
> An O2 sensor should be covered by a 5 year, 50,000 miles emissions warranty
> in the U.S.
>
> Was the service facility that gave you the price a Toyota dealer or
> someplace else? If it was not a Toyota dealer and your car is less than 5
> years old and has less than 50,000 miles, take it to the dealer.[/color]

I think the last time I checked the local dealer (before I started working
for one) it was either $179 or $229 for the part and $40 installation...
Well under $300...

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 12:03:40 -0700, timbirr wrote:
[color=blue]
> My newsreader is going haywire, so hope I am not triple posting.
>
> For the OEM Toyota sensor that price is about right. I've gone through
> three of the little beasts. Lucky mine have all been under warranty.
> You can get an aftermarket Bosch "universal" sensor for less, but I've
> heard mixed reviews on the Bosch. But, then again, I've gone through
> three of the Toyota sensors in two years....[/color]

Then you have another problem.

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 14:37:03 -0700, Lena wrote:
[color=blue]
> Thanks for all the responses. A little more searching and I find that
> there are three O2 sensors; Bank 1 Sensor 1, Bank 1 Sensor 2 and Bank 2
> Sensor 1. Don't know which one was determined to be faulty, or if the
> error code just says one of the O2 sensors is bad. The tech has to
> unplug a cable and read the resistance across certain wires (11 to 16
> ohms). Replacing one of the sensors (Bank two, I think) requires
> removing the passenger seat and the carpeting to get at the sensor.
> These are "heated" sensors, which probably adds to the cost. I've had
> a basic O2 sensor replaced on a Chevy, and it is just like a spark
> plug, easy to get at and reasonably priced. Not so apparently with
> Toyota. And none of the preventive maintenance I've done could prevent
> this failure.
>
> Lena[/color]


You sound pretty knowledgable; can you spin a wrench (or know someone who
can?)

The seat is 4 14mm bolts that unscrew very easily; while you have them out
put some anti-seize on them to make sure they come out the next time.
Probably what they have to access is the connector; it runs through a slit
in the carpet and has a rubber grommet attached to the wire. You might
have to lift part of the carpet too, or there may be an access flap in the
carpet. Basically this is why you are removing the seat. On my Tercel I
had to remove the console, too.

The sensor is located under the passenger's seat (on the OTHER side of the
floor) in the exhaust pipe, behind the catalytic converter. Because of the
heating/cooling/heating/cooling these can be a BITCH to remove. I wound up
bringing mine to a friend with a shop; he heated it with a torch and then
we STILL had a bitch of a time getting it out!

All in all he charged me $20; it would have been $40 if I hadn't 'helped'
(um, after the first inital turns of the wrech, he wound up prying it out...)

I used a Bosch O2 Sensor that ran about $120; I used the OEM type rather
than the Universal.