So my check engine light has been on for a while and I am told that it is my o2 sensor. I am also told that this is not a major concern. How much does it matter? How an I turn it off? How does this affect my cruise control?

 

Any thoughts?? or suggestions....

I've got an 04 forester xt. My engine light comes on when I'm on the freeway for an hour. I am told it is my o2 sensor and that I could maybe turn this off but for some reason I can't use my cruise control. WTF?

have you tried using your cruise control? if it works - use it. if not, then you can't. O2 sensor shouldn't affect that.

 

best to replace the O2 sensor if it's the front (which it usually is). they're very easy to replace - only takes one tool, a wrench. and the part is roughly $100, no big deal, particularly with such a new car.

 

in general yes you can run it without the O2 sensor just fine. but there's really no way to clear the code...without building some electrical circuit anyway but i don't think that's what you're after.

It would help us out greatly if you told us what the code number is in order to help you with this problem. There are a number of things that will cause a O2 sensor code to occur. In most cases the sensor itself isn't the problem so changing it out doesn't mean the real problem will go away. Places like Autozone will tell you what codes have been stored for free.

Places like Autozone will tell you what codes have been stored for free.

good point - giving us the code is much better. don't listen to what the counter guys *think* or suggests needs replaced, post the codes here. once you have the code you can also do a search for that code number and probably pull up some directly related threads.

What gross said.

 

nipper

Really I am asking for a friend although my 98 legacy does have the enigine light on all the time. I have been told it is an 02 sensor issue but that it is not such a big deal. I don't want to replace it if I really don't need to but i do want to know if the engince light is on for other reasons. My buddy is trying to get on for info about his 04 forester so all thoughts are apprecited.

Really I am asking for a friend although my 98 legacy does have the enigine light on all the time. I have been told it is an 02 sensor issue but that it is not such a big deal. I don't want to replace it if I really don't need to but i do want to know if the engince light is on for other reasons. My buddy is trying to get on for info about his 04 forester so all thoughts are apprecited.

 

Well lets see.....

 

O2 sensor affects:

 

Emissions

Gas mileage

Driveability

Catalytic converter life/performance.

 

Not chainging it saves you less then 150 bucks short term, but can cost you 5 times that if the cat gets damaged.

 

Its the nose of the fuel injection system. Without it the car can not tell if it is running at its most effecient. The emission control system will never go into closed loop, meaning it will always run off preset program paramiters meant for cold start-up. Gas mileage may drop as many as 5mpg.

 

Get it replaced with one from Subaru, dont cheap out with aftermarket, otherwise in a month or three youll be back blaiming subaru, and not the cheap part.

 

nipper

Might be the code for the downstream 02 sensor, so it could be several things other than the O2 sensor itself.