O2 Sensors - Toyota or Bosch?

[kronos98]

Freakin' ay. My check engine light came on in my 99 SEV6 a few weeks ago. I called the dealership and a mechanic told me it was probably the fuel cap. I went to Advanced Auto and bought an aftermarket one. The light still stayed on. Last week I went to the dealership for my oil change, and the technician there freaked about me having an aftermaket fuel cap. He told me the pressure seal was wrong on the inside?? He insisted I buy a Toyota one...so I did...for $17. But when I look at the inside of the caps, they both look the same...except the aftermarket one was $4. I have the heavy sensation that I've been majorly ripped off.

Anyways, they also checked the code for me (free of charge!). It said I had an O2 sensor problem, but the guy dismissed the idea. He said it was a big repair, and he hoped I wouldn't need to have it done. So he just reset the light and told me to come back if the light came back on.

Well, the light did come back on, and I went to BP Procare. Again, I got them to check the code for me for free! (I'm finding everyone here in Columbus is trying to charge ~$40-45 to have the code checked). They told me it was the heating element in one of the upstream O2 sensors.

Now I'm looking at a pretty hefty repair bill for a college student (~$400).

My question is, should I just have the dealer replace the sensor with a Toyota one (whatever that is), or should I purchase a Bosch sensor. I hear Bosch is the best. Only thing is, the sensor alone is $385+tax without the labor and the dealer won't install anything other than Toyota parts. Is there any point in spending a lot of money for the O2 sensor?

[nkx1]

I have to be honest, I don't know if the Bosch O2 sensor is better than Toyota, or vice-versa. However, my engine light also went on recently, and the dealer told me it was the 2 front O2 sensors. In California though, I think one is an O2, and one is Air-Fuel, so hopefully they get it right (it's being repaired right now). Before having my car repaired, I called the mechanic I go to for oil changes, and he said that based on his experience, the Toyota sensors were of better quality and lasted longer than aftermarket O2 sensors. I can't confirm this though, because I know Bosch makes many OEM parts such as 02 sensors (who knows, OEM and Bosch aftermarket O2 sensors might be the exact same thing).

Btw, my dealer (Buena Park Toyota) is charging me $511 total for the two sensors. Sounds kind of cheap to me for both, so either they're giving me a good deal for the two, or I really only need one and they're ripping me off. Anyway, good luck. O2 sensor repairs suck. Maybe I'll at least get a little better gas mileage now that mine are being fixed.

[kronos98]

Hmm. I have no idea why mine went out. The only thing I could think of is this stupid "STP Gas Treatment" fuel additive I used last year a few times.

When I talked to one mechanic before he checked the code, he was positive it couldn't be the O2 sensor, because he had never even heard of Toyotas having problems with O2 sensors.

Oh well, I hope this never happens again. Does anyone have suggestions on preventing O2 sensor damage?

[somethingcool]

For DIY people, goto www.oxygensensors.com they have Walker o2 sensors for $99.99, and walker sensors are actually bosch sensors, walker makes them and bosch re-brands them and doubles the price...

[bronzemaxell]

IBtw, my dealer (Buena Park Toyota) is charging me $511 total for the two sensors. Sounds kind of cheap to me for both, so either they're giving me a good deal for the two, or I really only need one and they're ripping me off. Anyway, good luck. O2 sensor repairs suck. Maybe I'll at least get a little better gas mileage now that mine are being fixed.

i replaced 2 front o2 sensors, the local mechanic got the oem part from toyota dealer at $125 a piece, i paid the mechanic $300 total for parts and labor, i thought mine was costly, now i know the dealer charging nearly double if what you said is true.

[impactX]

I got my O2 sensor at $200 Canadian dollars (around 150 USD) tax-in. It was a pain to take out the one on the rear header...

[Turbosolara]

I heared you can try to take them out and clean up the sensor by some cleaner such brake cleaner and put it back on. It could be just too much carbon deposit over it. The Front air fuel ratio sensor is about 199 per piece and the back one is O2 sensor i dont know how much does it cost.

I believe they are made by Denso and i also heared do not use universal one, it mess up your whole raito. I guess because the splice of the cable alter the resistance of the signal

[kronos98]

I just replaced my o2 sensor. the mechanic gave me the old one. it says:

TOYOTA
89465
-06030
DENSO 0310