CEL - P0136 (Repeated Issues)

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for some assistance with this issue I am having with my 2011 Tacoma. A while back my CEL came on. I had it checked and it was P0136. Upon research and asking Toyota, this points to a faulty sensor (bank 1 sensor 2) which is below the passenger seat. Working with my local Toyota, they got me the sensor and once installed, all was good for about a week. After a week, the CEL came back on with the same code. I went to Toyota and they gave me a replacement sensor after they talked to their mechanics and they believed that could be the only possibility since the truck was so new. I installed the sensor and the CEL came on again at about 50miles since the install.

During this time, I moved and my new local Toyota is not so friendly. They want $125 to diagnose the issue, citing I must have done something wrong and wouldn't bother asking anyone. I don't appreciate when a shop treats me as incompetent.

So now I am on a timeline to get this fixed, about 60 days since the truck failed MA inspection due to the CEL. Could anyone offer any assistance or even recommend a place to bring it around the Boston area (closer to Waltham, the better)?

Thanks to anyone who responds.

 

Have you seen this thread:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/32176-diagnostic-code-p0136.html

 

Thank you for that. I do not recall seeing any corrosion under there but I will check again tonight. What would be the best way to check for an exhaust leak or short?

 

i assume your emissions warranty is still in effect?? acton toyota

 

I was reading the warranty and am not sure I understand what is covered by the emissions warranty. My full warranty on the Tacoma just expired as I just hit 36,500miiles this weekend. The issue was presented to my other Toyota dealership before I hit 36,000miles. I do see that some parts are warrantied for 8 years / 80,000 miles, but it doesn't look like anything in the exhaust system is covered.

I'm not that good at understanding warranties as this is my first vehicle that still had a warranty on it when I got it.

 

I have reached out to Acton Toyota to see what they will say. They informed me a 'Service Specialist' will be contacting me since the issue is so specific.

 

I'd be a little surprised if at 500 miles past warranty with a documented issue that occurred prior to 36k miles that you'd be left high and dry. That'd be a pretty sleazy way to do things, though I've been surprised before.

 

I agree, the only issue is that I've been doing the work so Toyota hasn't serviced the vehicle since November of 2013 when they did their last oil change and their 52 or so point inspection. So the issue itself has not been well documented, especially since my old Toyota dealership upgraded their parts department's computer system and lost all of their purchase records.

Now I know to keep all receipts and mark down the mileage. Lesson learned. At least I have the date on my credit card statement that the part was first purchased (6/25/14) and the CEL that came on after that was while I was moving, which put a lot of mileage on the truck (595mi to be exact)

 

2nd attempt at contacting Acton Toyota. If I get nothing from them I'll either reach out to a fourth Toyota shop or try Toyota directly

 

i think the emissions warranty will cover your problem. keep trying. why should you have to pay for something thats covered and im sure it is covered

 

Did you install both of the replacement sensors? I understand that they were given to you to install under warranty? That is very strange on the face of it. I have Never known of any dealer handing out parts for warranty work.

Regardless...

The P0136 code is just called Oxygen Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 2). That doesn't mean that it is " The Sensor " itself that is defective. It could be other things as listed below. These are listed as possible causes in the shop manual for the P0136 Code. This is why you should have allowed the Toyota Dealer to handle this under warranty. Now that you have mucked with it they have a way out.

• Open or short in HO2 sensor (bank 1, 2 sensor 2) circuit.
• HO2 sensor (bank 1, 2 sensor 2).
• HO2 sensor heater (bank 1, 2 sensor 2).
• Air-Fuel Ratio (A/F) sensor (bank 1, 2 sensor 1).
• EFI relay.
• Gas leakage from exhaust system.

Good luck in your Quest.

 

I only installed 1 sensor as that was what my old dealership told me to do and they were pretty convinced that could be the only cause. I paid for the part and installed it myself as I did not know my truck was still under warranty until last week.

Since someone is probably going to say "how did you not know it was still under warranty," here's my logic... When I bought it in May 2013 from a Subaru dealership, I asked the dealer about the warranty and they said it only had about 6 months on it. Well come to find out it was bought by its first owner in Sept 2011 meaning 3 years is coming up this Sept.

So maybe I've made some wrong decisions with handling it, but I just want it fixed by a respectable shop and not pay an arm and a leg for it since I just paid off a couple grand in repairs on my other vehicle.

Thanks for everyone's input and I will continue to update this as I try to get the issue resolved.

At least I still have 48 left to get it fixed and reinspected.

 

This was a Toyota dealer?

They should or would have known as soon as they entered the VIN.

 

Yes it was a Toyota dealership, but I was working with the parts dept and I dont think they looked at the warranty as I was a regular there.

Also, here's the latest... Acton Toyota called me back and offered to take a complimentary look at the truck to see if they could figure out the issue. So I brought it into them today. After 1 hour with the truck, they came out to talk to me and told me they have determined everything points to the sensor, but since it has already been replaced 2 times, they think it might be a problem with the computer and are calling Toyota corporate. This is turning out interesting...

 

Acton Toyota had the truck for a total of 4.5 hours.

They checked everything they were advised to check. In the end, they replaced Bank 1 Sensor 1 and told me they think this should resolve the issue. They told me to call them if the CEL does come back on again. Total cost for today: $0.

 

Thank you very much for the recommendation. Minus having to contact them 2x before getting a call back, everything else was excellent including the free breakfast. Well worth the 30 minute drive there.

 

so, the CEL never came back on? It was a defective "new" sensor?