Oxy Sensor Life Expectancy?

[pah]

Hi all,

My car’s been chucking up a “check engine warning” message a couple of minutes after I start it. I’d heard a rumour that coatings inside extractors can contaminate oxy sensors - not too sure about this one. Having been told that extractors allow a fair bit of heat to escape into the engine bay, I also wondered if the oxy sensors were taking too long to warm up on cold mornings.

I called Delco to ask his opinion. It seems that oxy sensors and the oil pressure switch are known causes of the “check engine warning” message. Given that my fuel economy’s been a tad erratic, it seems that my oxy sensors could be due for replacement. It seems that they can toss in the towel after as little as 40,000 km’s. I must have had a dream run with the oxy sensors in the VP - they gave no signs of problems out to 220,000 km’s. The sensors in my VY are just a tad under 70,000 km's old.

Who’s had oxy sensor problems and how many km’s did you get out of them before they packed up?


PAH

[VXSS346]

Very random problem, especially when headers are fitted.

Some have none others have plenty of failures.

After headers were fitted to my VX, when it was 2 years old, O2's went after 4 months.
Replaced kindly by Holden under warranty, and lasted only another 4 months.

Bought Bosch ones and 2 years later, they are still perfect.

Happened with my VP V6 twice as well when stainless headers were fitted.

Buggered if I know why this happens.

That's my experience.

[Crusty]

My right hand oxy sensor was showing a fault under WOT every now and again, we found the wires to be a little loose, no problem after reconnecting it :)

[Vulture]

In some countries it is mandatory to replace them after a certain milage (eg 80 000km in the US I think) so they are not expected to last forever. Mine shat themselves shortly after fitting some headers and cat back on the VYSS.

[ratter]

O2 sensors have a working life of 80000-100000 klms, many last a lot longer than that, but the operation of the sensor casn start to slow down gradually which causes a gradual drop in economy etc, it normally happens over a long period of time so it is not evident until they are normally totally dead.

Sometimes moving their location, as when headers are fitted can cause early life failure due to the sensor being placed in a different location which would have a different dew point. A different dew point can cause more than normal condesation to accumulate on the sensor and then when the sensor heater comes on, the sensor internals will crack.

As mentioned earlier, America is starting to introduce service times to replace o2 sensors and I think it is going to approx 80-100000 klms