Check engine light after frame replacement?

My 01 got the frame replaced about 3 weeks ago, and just last night the check engine light came on. Had it checked at Autozone, the guy who checked it is also a Toyota mechanic and he said it was the cat/O2 sensor error code, but that his little hand-held unit couldn't narrow it down and that with a Toyota it could be several different things. The dealer who did the frame replacement said it'll cost $104 just to hook the diagnostic machine up and tell me what's wrong.

Does that seem normal to y'all? Seems pretty high, to pay $100 just t find out what's wrong?

My entire exhaust from the cat back was replaced last year, and the rear O2 sensor was replaced at that same time, could a 1 year old O2 sensor go bad that quickly?

 

what kind of sensor was used....toyota or aftermarket?? also....did you check to make sure the connections were good, or that there are no broken wires from when the frame was replaced??

 

Yeah, I need to go take a look under it, it just came on last night so I haven't checked things out yet. I'm going to call my regular mechanic and see what he quotes for checking the engine code, but I can't believe it'd be $104. I don't know what kind of O2 sensor they put in last year, but looking online there are a million choices, and seems like all of them only have a 1 year warranty. What makes different brands so different in price? And if it ends up being the O2 sensor, how difficult is it to install?

 

lots of places charge a ridiculous amount to check a cel......i mean damn........all ya do is plug in the code reader.

not sure what makes the sensors so different in price.......but i have seen enough probs with someone using aftermarket sensors, that i think even tho they are more expensive....stick with the toyota ones.

and they are easy as pie to change. these are bolted on.....hardest part is unhooking the electrical connector.......unplugging it is a bit of a bitch.

 

Stick to Toyota OEM sensors, a year's worth is about what you get from the aftermarket ones.

 

OK, in looking underneath I can't tell whether it was the front or rear sensor that was replaced. The front sensor looks pretty easy, the bolts and the electrical connector are relatively easy to get to. If I have to replace the rear sensor, that's the one I can't figure out. The wire for the rear sensor just dissapears into the passenger side floor, where is the actual connector and how do I get to it? Pictures if possible?

 

kingston73,

Take a "ride" to Autozone and have them "read" the code...it was free 2 weeks ago for me..My front 02 sensor is throwing my code....then make your decision on what to buy...Myself,I'm purchasing the Toyota one for simple reason,lasted 7 years....

S

 

Yeah, the guy who ran the code is also a toyota mechanic, and he said the code was vague and to pin point it I'd have to get the big machine hooked up. I went to Advance Auto to get a 2nd opinion and the guy couldn't make the code sensor work, I don't know if he was stupid or if the code machine was broken.

 

WOW,

My bad..missed that in the 1st post...If he had the code,why could he not pin point it....you start with the obvious and trouble shoot from there....

S

 

Hey guys, just got back from autozone, lol. I installed Doug Thorley headers a week back, and it just started coding me today. Walked into autozone and borrowed the OBD II reader (I'm friends with the employees), and got P0420 coded (Cat below threshold).

What I'M thinking is that since the headers were a bit too long and low, that now the cat is sitting directly on the frame/crossmember or whatever that thing is, and now it's rattling on metal, possibly messing up the crap inside it. Any possibilities? Might be similar to your prob, Kingston, because of the frame.

And holy crap! $100 for one scan!? You can buy an entry level scanner for $150!

 

Yep, that's what I said when they told me $104 for a scan alone. I went to a second autozone just to recheck, and the code is the same as yours, P0420 "catalyst efficiency below threshold" (bank 1) This time around the guy who did it told me it could be either the cat or one of the O2 sensors. Like I said, one of the O2 sensors is a year old, the other one and the cat are both original 2001 issued. What would you guys do? I could spend $100 for the detailed diagnosis, but that's only going to tell me what exactly is wrong and I'll still have to pay for parts. OR I could buy a new cat (looks like maybe $200-300??) and install it myself and see what happens, or get a new O2 sensor and see what happens. Suggestions? Some of the rest of you must have seen the P0420 code before, right?

 

i have seen catalytic converters fail.....but i have seen alot more o2 sensors fail way before the cat failed. i would get the bank 1 sensor(upstream) and change it.

when you get into the throttle......what does your truck do.....get up to speed, or feel like its dying/not getting air?? thats how it feels,to me anyway, when you have a bad catalytic converter.