$234 Oxygen Sensor

outrageous

it is time to replace all O2 sensors at 100K intervals

100K miles

I would buy the parts and do the installations myself. Saving a ton of money in the process.

WAY too much $$$ for labor, IMHO.

Lg

How can you say that when you don't know what the labor cost even was? Bob

Take the cost of parts: $60/sensor deduct that from total cost = Labor/overhead/rent/profit

Bob, I don't know how to say this without it sounding offensive. Have you considered re-enrolling in elementary school? Are you too old to sit in the back of the classroom?

O2 sensors tend to become sluggish around 100k miles. If diagnostic says they are going bad, then replace them. $234 each is a reasonable cost to have someone else do it. I would do it myself though for $54 each plus tax and save about $720.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I've had cars for over 25 years that used oxygen sensors. In that time, I've replaced one (1981 Audi Coupe), and that was only because it was part of the routine service procedure. It was not actually bad. Myself and immediate family members have had cars well over 200,000 miles and no one close to me has had one fail. So, I'd say quit worrying about the other three sensors. The next time you get a check engine light, have an auto parts place like AutoZone read the code and if it says an O2 sensor is bad, replace it your self.

$234 may sound like a lot for actually replacing one O2 sensor, but it is in line with what I would expect a dealer to charge. The breakdown should have been something like - $65 for diagnosis (just hooking to the Ford tester), $111 for the O2 Sensor (list price), about $50 for one half hour of labor to replace the sensor, and the rest, $8 or so, for taxes, shop charges, etc. Just be glad they didn't stick you with unnecessary "extra" services like fuel injector cleaning. I would guess an independent garage would have charge a little less for the same service - $150 or so. You could have done it yourself for around $90 (Ford Sensor with a discount) or $70 (AutoZone sensor).

Next time you have a few minutes, I'd suggest that you clean your IAC - the dealer will hit you for another $230 or so if this sticks. If you don't understand what this means, do a Google search on "clean ford ranger iac"

. Regards,

Ed White

My *shop* is my 2 car garage, 1/2 filled with landscaping equipment. I buy the parts and do the work myself. This is true not only for my auto, but for my dishwasher, clothes dryer, HVAC ( air conditioning/heating ), plumbing, and every dang other thing around here, including electrical, except *blessing* the box which has to be done by a licensed electrician so the Village will accept the work.

I do painting, woodworking, the entire schmere. It is all up to

*code* or most likely better than code.

IOW, ZERO.

Lg

What is reasonable? If you took it to a dealership, you may have been lucky to get off so cheaply.

My stepdaughter recently 'tried her wings' and took her Buick to the dealership for a check engine light issue. They replaced an oxygen sensor and charged her $320. That was, IMHO, too much.

That car uses a special sensor, but it still costs less than $100.

On these newsgroups, some like Daniel Stern have said that sensors such as Bosch tend to be of poor quality. If you are going to do it yourself, research this issue and buy good quality sensors. Changing them out is easy.

Lawrence Glickman writes in article dated Tue, 25 Oct 2005 08:33:05

-0500:

Larry, I think his point is that for a professional's price to be outrageous there must be a competitor who will do it for less. Suppose we find out that the OP lives near you. Are you willing to replace his remaining 3 sensors for less than the $234 rate? Or do you know of a shop that will?

Doing it yourself is simply not an option for some people.

-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.

dated Tue, 25 Oct 2005 08:33:05

-0500:

My problem is my garage is only large enough, having all the landscaping equipment in there, for my car. Anything larger won't fit.

Otherwise, yes, I would charge less, depending on whether or not the operator/owner of the vehicle supplied his own parts, or I had to go out and buy them myself.

I don't consider myself qualified to work on anything that is life/safety related...e.g. brakes. But taking out a sensor and reinstalling a new one doesn't appear to be impossible, although my engine compartment forces me to use the *short* version of the sensor removal and installation tool fitting. It is tight in some spots in my engine compartment and around it. Would no doubt require some

*acrobatics* to get at all of them. And a bit of time.

Well then there is the answer. My mistake is thinking that it was. But now that you mention it, of course it isn't.

Then, I guess you have to shop around for the best price.

Because of the Emission Inspection Stations and such here in Northern Illinois, it isn't going to be possible to *cheat* on an exhaust emissions test. The computers here are linked directly to the Illinois DOT at Springfield. The license plates are scanned in by image recognition software and so forth. No way to escape, if something is amiss with the exhaust emissions.

So then, you are right. You can't get your car registered here unless you pass. And to do that you might be forced to pay through the nose for parts and installation. So, you are right, and I made the mistake of thinking it was possible for everybody, which of course, it is not.

Lg

And from just which part of your ass did you pull a cost of $60? Suggested list is over $100 for that particular sensor. Or do you think the dealership should sell parts at cost?

Why? Are you lonely back there? Bob

There's the rub... A real shop big enough to accommodate what ever rolls in the lot staffed with the necessary support personnel and equipped with the proper tools being used by trained mechanics is certainly bound to cost more than someone picking and choosing the easier jobs out of their back yard.

So, it's easy to lambaste the shop that is properly equipped, staffed and trained with out at least considering that none of that comes for free to anyone, least of all the shop owner.

Absolutely, positively the worst thing one can do when they need auto repair. Find a competent qualified shop and stick with them.

Actually, it is quite easy to cheat an emissions test, OBD2 scan and/or IM-240, etc. Matter of fact, when one considers how catalyst efficiency is determined on an OBD2 vehicle, the only conclusion they can come to is that the [state]test itself is a cheat.

The cost is the cost. The repairman is not the one responsible for the failure to begin with, so the derogatory connotation directed his way is misplaced.

Regardless of whether it's possible, some people have better things to do with their time than wrench on their cars during their free hours, they seem to be able to appraise the value without a problem.

Right on the money Neil..... as usual Bob

Ford Ranger is a Mazda with Ford nameplates stuck on. Research Mazda 02 sensors.

And you Slob, go back into the Bozo Bin, since you have a vendetta against me and I've smelled enough of your SHIT for way way too long now. This time you won't be set free.

Flame away. Nobody will hear you scream.

Lg

You get a Pass, *Neil,* as it appears you have social redeeming value, rather unlike your glue huffing grease monkey of a *friend.* I suspect he is Simian. Average IQ somewhere in the low 70's.

Lg

What do you mean by this? As a MRRT I can think of exotic ways to "cheat" either a dyno-based IM240 or an OBDII scan-based test. I haven't really thought about it other than when reviewing the emissions test rules (to see if they hold water), and I certainly have never suggested or employed such tactics. I am most curious why you said "quite easy". I welcome you to email me if you don't want the meat of this cheating discussion on Usenet.

Toyota MDT in MO

Nothing exotic about calling Jeg's or Summit and ordering a MIL eliminator and plugging it into the post-cat O2 sensor circuit when there's a failed cat efficiency monitor, or, build your own from plans available o the internet. Also slightly non-exotic is that most states allow 2 uncompleted monitors when they run the OBD2 scan for an emissions test, a calculated test drive that runs all but the problem monitor before visiting the test station and the vehicle gets a pass even though it shouldn't.

Nor would/do I. But I'm in and out of a lot of shops in the area, so I have a good idea of what shenanigans are being used.

Because I was an insider in the Wisconsin IM-240 program when this stuff was an issue that should have been investigated or at least considered further. Political expediency won out.

Just because the Cerium wash-coat doesn't store oxygen as efficiently as it did when new doesn't necessarily mean that insufficient oxidation and reduction isn't occurring.

Most of it is easily found on the WWW.

Average IQ -is- 100.

It's either average (100) or low 70s.

Can't be both.

Once you get this down pat, you'll be well on your way to understanding and interpreting fuel trims.