Check Engine Light - '02 Legacy Wagon

[srpk25]

The Check Engine Light has been on for about 5 months. Took to the dealer and they said that: Knock sensor, plugs, plug wires, & coil all needed to be replaced. My husband changed them and the light went off for a couple of days, but then came back on. I took it back to have it tested - it came up with a message (I don't know the #), but it said "Low emissions, Bank 1). Can someone tell me what this means?

And maybe point me in the right direction - the dealer wants at least $850 to change the O2 sensor(s) and if that doesn't fix the problem, they said something about the catalytic converter.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[Strakes]

Seems like the dealer likes to sell high priced items at the car and hopes you pay for it. I am pretty sure that by federal law the emissions systems components are covered by warranty until 100,000 miles...so if they want to replace the O2 sensor and/or the catalytic convertor, they should do it under the emissions warranty on their own dime. How many miles do you have on the car? And is it still possible for you to get the exact code number?

[mtsmiths]

Didn't the dealer tell you that there is a TSB out on the O2 sensor on this car? I thought not ... ours didn't either. I discovered it on this board and confronted them with the TSB and they fixed it. Stayed off for about three days, so they did it again. Stayed of about three hours and one hundred miles. For the last two years on and off, for several days at a time. IMHO learn to ignore it or get out the official Click&Clack black tape.

 

OH, and stay away from stealerships! An O2 sensor replacement should cost $149.00 per SOA's own flat rate book.

 

And don't believe all that cr@p about replacing the cat, wait until it displays symptoms. Ours has driven 53,000 miles since we were told (by the dealer) that the cat needed "immediate" replacement.

[srpk25]

Seems like the dealer likes to sell high priced items at the car and hopes you pay for it. I am pretty sure that by federal law the emissions systems components are covered by warranty until 100,000 miles...so if they want to replace the O2 sensor and/or the catalytic convertor, they should do it under the emissions warranty on their own dime. How many miles do you have on the car? And is it still possible for you to get the exact code number?

 

I have about 97k miles on the car. I'm going to go to our local repairman and he will hook it up (for free) and let me know what the exact code is. I didn't know about the law part, is there a way I may verify this? If so that would be great.

 

Thank you for your help - any additional would be appreciated.

[srpk25]

Didn't the dealer tell you that there is a TB out on the O2 sensor on this car? I thought not ... ours didn't either. I discovered it on this board and confronted them with the TSB and they fixed it. Stayed off for about three days, so they did it again. Stayed of about three hours and one hundred miles.

 

 

For the last two years on and off, for several days at a time. IMHO learn to ignore it or get out the official Click&Clack black tape.

 

OH, and stay away from stealerships! An O2 sensor replacement should cost $149.00 per SOA's own flat rate book.

We were under the impression that the TB's weren't covered, only the recalls.

 

I found out the hard way about the "stealerships" with another issue, thanks though.

[Strakes]

Ah ha! I found the documents in the glove box with the Owner's manual and the warranty supplement. Yes, the emissions control systems (which includes the catylitic convertor and O2 sensors) are covered to 100,000 miles. And that's from my 2002 Legacy GT Wagon. So I assume yours would be the same warranty. The booklet said that this warranty is under "federal regulations" so that would apply to you in New York as well. Also, there are places on the web that you can look up all recalls and Technical Service Bulletins for your specific make and model.

[srpk25]

Ah ha! I found the documents in the glove box with the Owner's manual and the warranty supplement. Yes, the emissions control systems (which includes the catylitic convertor and O2 sensors) are covered to 100,000 miles. And that's from my 2002 Legacy GT Wagon. So I assume yours would be the same warranty. The booklet said that this warranty is under "federal regulations" so that would apply to you in New York as well. Also, there are places on the web that you can look up all recalls and Technical Service Bulletins for your specific make and model.

Thank you so much for your help! I'll take a look at my booklet.

 

Have good day!

[Strakes]

TSB are covered until the warranty runs out. You have to tell them to fix it per the TSB. If the warranty runs out, and you want to perform a TSB, then you have to pay for it. So, if this is an emissions problem, and you're under the 100,000 mile emissions warranty, then manufacturer should cover the fix even if the fix includes a TSB. It does gets confusing, because we have a 3 year/36000 mile bumper to bumper, a 5yr/60,000 mile engine powertrain, and another for rust/paint for 7 years or something, and the emissions for 100,000 miles and on top of that some of these are tranferable to a second owner, some aren't.