is there anyway to check an o2 sensor? or do you have to just buy a new one and hope it fixes your problem? My computer is throwing the code for an o2 but the sensor isnt even 8 months old yet. I just dont want to go and buy an o2 and find out there was some way i could of tested the old one first.

 

If you have a voltmeter, the voltage the sensor is putting out. It should run between about 0.2 volts and 0.8 volts, if it is working. If you strip a little bit of insulation off of the wire going to the O2 sensor, you can measure between their and a solid ground on the car, or the battery ground. The car needs to be warmed up for the O2 sensor to work properly.

 

i will give that a try tomorrow

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gp70hs &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you have a voltmeter, the voltage the sensor is putting out. It should run between about 0.2 volts and 0.8 volts, if it is working. If you strip a little bit of insulation off of the wire going to the O2 sensor, you can measure between their and a solid ground on the car, or the battery ground. The car needs to be warmed up for the O2 sensor to work properly.</TD></TR></TABLE>This is entirely false information. 02 sensor voltages are small and they vary so much and so fast that they can only be seen with an oscilloscope. So to really check one you would either:

1. buy an oscilloscope and learn how to use it
2. take it to a shop and have someone test it(some shops won't even know how and will just want to throw parts at you car without really finding out what's wrong)
3. swap it with a known good sensor from someone else's car
4. just buy a new one and hope for the best