Greg Ernst

Hey Everybody!

I'm in Long Beach, CA, driving an RX300, 2001 (am I correct in assuming that it's "first generation?"). I've been lucky enough to have had very little to discuss on this car...very consistent, and overall a great product. It's getting up in years, though, and I expect I'll have some items to discuss with you guys in the coming months and years.

I'm currently facing a "Check Engine" light concern, which is keeping me from getting my car registered in California. Emissions are excellent, but that light is enough to keep me off the road.

P1130 & P1135 are the codes, so it looks like my O2 sensor is giving a bad reading, or has gone bad (position one, bank one.) Can this part be cleaned, or reset? I'm having a hard time figuring out what to do...any advice? Also, what is the best way to access that part? From below, or from the engine compartment? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I'm hesitant to take it to a repair facility or the dealer...they'll overcharge for the part & labor, and if it doesn't work, they'll replace something else on my dime. I have NO great mechanic that I trust, which sucks...but that's the way of the world. If any of you have a really good mechanic in the Long Beach, North Orange County area, I'd love a referral for them as well!

Thanks in advance!

Greg Ernst
Long Beach, CA
gregernsthomes@yahoo.com

Lexmex

Welcome to the Club.

The sensor in question is behind the engine block and is known as the bank 1, sensor a/f (air/fuel sensor). You can see the sensor on the pipe in the picture below with the black wire coming out of it.

Someone with an advanced OBD2 scanner (one that can read the readings for both A/F banks) one should be able to see if the readings between banks 1 and 2 (2 being visible when you open the hood on the front of the engine block and behind the radiator) are erratic or not. Sometimes crappy gas can caused this (a frequent issue when I lived in Mexico), sometimes it can be climate-related or clogged fuel injectors. Pulling the battery cables for a bit and reconnecting them may set things right, but if the lights come on again, an advanced OBD2 scanner should be able to detect this.

Greg Ernst

Thanks very much for your reply, and the information! I guess I have to take it to someone...I was hoping to avoid the additional expense, but I don't have the meters, or any close friends who do. Thanks again!! Greg

Lexmex

It's too bad there aren't super cheap handheld scanners that show the A/F sensor readings. I know on ebay there are ones coming out of Asia that are cheap that hook up to a computer to do this. I plan on likely getting both an advanced handheld with the new CAN protocol (for use with newer vehicles) and the ability to read other variables like cooling/timing.

When I do get around to getting something, the handheld or laptop version, I'll do a more involved DIY on reading these things.