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Ok, so I need to get my car inspected and its got 4 codes

M

mnewxcv

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
May 9, 2009
Messages
2,030
Location
Cape Cod, MA
p1151
p0402
p0153
p0420

any help appreciated!

edit: I should note that the car runs and drives without ANY problems whatsoever.
 
From the main site FAQ:

[FONT=arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif]P0153 - [/FONT][FONT=arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif]Upstream Heated Oxygen Sensor circuit Slow Response - Bank No. 2. [/FONT]
[FONT=arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif]P0402 - [/FONT][FONT=arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif]EGR Flow Excessive at Idle. [/FONT]
[FONT=arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif]P0420 - [/FONT][FONT=arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif]Catalyst System Efficiency below Limit - Bank No 1. [/FONT]
[FONT=arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif]P1151 - [/FONT][FONT=arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif]Lack of Upstream Heated Oxygen Sensor Switch - Sensor Indicates Lean - Bank No. 2.[/FONT]
 
P0153 - Upstream Heated Oxygen Sensor circuit Slow Response - Bank No. 2.

^replace O2 sensor on Bank 2

P0402 - EGR Flow Excessive at Idle.

^Possibly EGR valve related.

P0420 - Catalyst System Efficiency below Limit - Bank No 1.

^cat isn't filtering properly sometimes you can get lucky with this code... I had the same one pop up on me, what I did to fix it was run the car down to about 1/4 tank of gas, I put a bottle of Berryman's B-12 chemtool (or Seafoam works just the same), in the gas and drove the car till about 10 miles after the gas light came on... Filled the car with gas again, cleared my codes. P0420 has yet to return 1 year later :cool:

P1151 - Lack of Upstream Heated Oxygen Sensor Switch - Sensor Indicates Lean - Bank No. 2.

^ This code is related to your first P0153 code, replace bank 2 o2 sensor.

and I bet money that the car "drives fine" but its probably down on power, and with the car throwing the lean code, I wouldn't be revving the nuts off of it so often, until you fix it.
 
cat efficiency code doesnt always mean your cat is clogged. you know better than that, AJ. replace the o2 sensor
 
so are you guys pretty confident I NEED a new o2 sensor? also, the egr valve? what about cleaning it? how to etc

thanks

and whats the fix for the lean code?

car was my high school grad present from my dad, he got it for $1200. here are some pics

100_0364.jpg

100_0366.jpg

100_0369.jpg
 
does it look like an original oxygen sensor? if the sensor isnt functioning properly, your car will throw the p0420
 
alright i can see the sensor(assuming its the front one, right?) but there are a couple hoses on top of it, and I think id have to remove the cover under the engine to get it from underneath, whats the correct way of removing?
 
with two codes for the same O2 sensor it a good bet its time for a new sensor.

if you really want to check swap the upstream sensors. you will then get the same codes but for bank one.

there is also a good chance that the P420 is because of the O2 sensor. normally the P0420 has to be alone for it to point to the pre-cat. but since you have O2 sensor codes I would say its suspect.

and we know that normally these cats dont often clog and the pre-cat codes are false because the limits where programmed to tight in the pcm. if after the O2 sensor the P0420 doesn't go away I would install mil-eliminators to take care of that code.

the P0402 points to a DPFE sensor. chances are you stil have a metal one on the car and it has failed. new dpfe sensors are plastic.
 
AliasJerk said:
P0402 - EGR Flow Excessive at Idle.

^EGR valve is stuck open when idling, replace EGR valve
Click to expand...


where do you get this information? the egr valve itself is normally never a problem. very few egr problems arise from the egr valve itself. they are very reliable on the contour.

again the P0402 points to the dpfe sensor.
 
im not trying to be a jerk or anything, but aliasjerk, just stop posting advice like you do. you keep telling people to replace things, and fix things that they dont need. get your facts straight before telling people what to do. people will see how long you've been on here and how many posts you have, and take your advice. people should be learning how to fix their cars, not just taking random stabs at things, hoping that it fixes their CEL. you are like the stereotypical autozone employee. "oh, you have a catalytic converter code. replace your cat. ohhh heres an EGR code. replace your EGR valve" i just really dont like the way you post in here. yes, i know you're trying to help the members out here, but it bothers me the way you go at it. sorry, just speaking my mind
 
The indicated O2 faults are for the OTHER bank from the cat efficiency code.

How the %$@@! do you expect that changing the faulty O2 sensor on bank 2 will impact the cat code on bank 2?

C'mon, use your head before posting dumb advice!
 
projectSHO89 said:
The indicated O2 faults are for the OTHER bank from the cat efficiency code.

How the %$@@! do you expect that changing the faulty O2 sensor on bank 2 will impact the cat code on bank 2?

C'mon, use your head before posting dumb advice!
Click to expand...


you mean bank 1? your right. cat code on the opposite bank isn't being caused by the O2 sensors.
 
BrApple said:
where do you get this information? the egr valve itself is normally never a problem. very few egr problems arise from the egr valve itself. they are very reliable on the contour.

again the P0402 points to the dpfe sensor.
Click to expand...

cars I have fixed for people? :shrug: and my EGR valve failed once, and I have replaced 2 others on different cars which repaired both P0401 and P0402, however DPFE very well could also throw that same code. The fact that it isnt normally a problem doesnt mean that it cant be a problem ever.

Smalls said:
im not trying to be a jerk or anything, but aliasjerk, just stop posting advice like you do. you keep telling people to replace things, and fix things that they dont need. get your facts straight before telling people what to do. people will see how long you've been on here and how many posts you have, and take your advice. people should be learning how to fix their cars, not just taking random stabs at things, hoping that it fixes their CEL. you are like the stereotypical autozone employee. "oh, you have a catalytic converter code. replace your cat. ohhh heres an EGR code. replace your EGR valve" i just really dont like the way you post in here. yes, i know you're trying to help the members out here, but it bothers me the way you go at it. sorry, just speaking my mind
Click to expand...

For one, this post is irrelevant in this thread if you have a personal problem with my posts then please feel free to contact me via private message, for 2, you didn't post or say any advice to rectify his issue what so ever, looking at the codes this kid posted its pretty obvious what the problems are. For 3 P0402 is related to the EGR system, there are 3 separate components it could be, 1 of which is extremely unlikely which is the EGR vacuum controller solenoid on the back of the Upper intake manifold. Another of which is the DPFE sensor which is considerably more likely although in my experience I have never actually needed to change one, another of which is the EGR valve; which I have had to replace on upwards of 3 cars already to rectify a P0402 code. Am I saying "I am always right, every time" absolutely not, I am man enough to admit in the past I have suggested some stuff that I know better of after having more experience, but this is a simple issue which I have experienced and repaired in the past. Furthermore, you came out and suggested that his O2 sensor on bank 1 might not be functioning properly. So let me get this straight you are mad at me for suggesting 1 new O2 which we all know he needs on bank 2, thats a given, and an EGR valve and an $8 can of B-12, which costs a total of about $90. But you have no problems suggesting for him to spend another $50 on a 2nd O2 sensor which has a lower likely hood of being the problem, Nice. In what world does your solution cost less than mine?

However, it could also very well be a broken vacuum line behind the intake manifold on the EGR solenoid. When my friends and I dropped my SVT motor back into my car I kept getting all kinds of weird vacuum and EGR codes totally randomly, I replaced my EGR valve and my DPFE and the same codes kept on returning. Turned out that the damn vacuum tree fitting for the EGR solenoid had come off during the motor reinstall, slid the connector back on, and got a solid P0402, which turned out to be the (drum roll please) EGR VALVE!

Further more, I am far from an autozone employee and I suggested doing ???? that costs little to nothing to fix, running a can of Berryman's B-12 costs ????ing $8 for gods sake, and did fix my P0420 and P0430 codes which are indicative of the front and rear cats not working as efficiently as they should, not to mention it fixed the exact same issues with my friend's 97 SE contour. I didnt even need to touch my O2 sensors and as of a year later my car still hasn't thrown these codes again. How in the hell is suggesting an $8 can of seafoam bad advice?

If you have a problem with my advice, fine, take it to PM and I will thoroughly explain why I suggested what I suggested based upon personal experience, and/or what my Ford CD suggested as steps taken to diagnose issues. I am confused as towards what brought out this huge slanderous post, suggesting an EGR valve replacement when there is a possibility of someone needing a new EGR valve.
 
AliasJerk said:
cars I have fixed for people? :shrug: and my EGR valve failed once, and I have replaced 2 others on different cars which repaired both P0401 and P0402, however DPFE very well could also throw that same code, no way of knowing for sure until the part is R+Red. Is it impossible to throw a P0402 and have it be EGR valve related Brian, because if it is truly impossible, then I will retract my statement.
Click to expand...


could the egr valve itself be the issue for a P0402? sure it could. however looking at the history of posts in the trouble shooting forum the gr valve itself has hardly ever been an issue.

before you replaced the egr valve did you at least test it?

so really the proper procedure to determine if the P0402 is being caused by the egr valve or the dpfe sensor the valve should be tested. apply a vacuum to the valve and see what effect it has on the idle of the car. if the idle stumbles and the engine wants to stall the egr valve is fine and the dpfe sensor should be replaced.

you have to remember that what fixed a problem on one car may not fix it on another. so you can', as you do just come in and say replace this or do this because you might lead someone astray. got to work through the problem and test possible solutions.

historically standing P0401 codes are caused by blocked egr passage ways. P0402 is caused by the dpfe sensor. is that to say its the only solution, not at all, but don't post asnwers that make it seem like that is the solution.


so to the op, go test the egr valve like I posted above and that will point you in the correct direction for that code.

as also pointed out since the pre-cat code is on the oposite bank from the O2 sensor codes then its a good possibility the code is real. however that being said it doesn't mean your pre-cats are clogged up as was noted. most of the time the codes are set because the parameters are set to tight in the PCM. you could pay like $200 for a dealer to update the pcm program to turn the CEL off for those codes or you can buy or make mil-eliminators to clear that code.
 
I actually did perform the suck test before replacing the EGR valve, but it was something I failed to suggest doing, so my bad.
 
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