Rav 4 O2 sensors

[pflug]

Friend has 2001 Rav 4..inspection (smog) says both sensors are out. Has 74K miles. Does Toyota have anything that covers these? Expired or no? I know nothing about these, how hard would it be for me to do (4 cyl)? Saw where the Tundras had a 90k 8 yr addition...just wondering? I am helping out my wife's friend and she was given a 650$ estimate. Friend was crying...literally! I just did my daughters Honda (1 sensor for $80 Bosch universal) wasn't too bad to do. Thanks for any insight.

[hill8570]

I don't think the Toyota emissions warranty extends that far...wouldn't hurt to check the owner's manual. Replacing the O2 sensors isn't that hard (if you could do a Honda, you could do a RAV4), but it seems strange that both sensor 1 and sensor 2 would've gone south at the same time -- sensor 2 isn't under much stress. Any idea what DTCs were being thrown?

[pflug]

I called the Toyota dealership she bought it at in 2001, also got ext. warranty. She has had this problem since new...apparently there is a TSB on this in the links I found here back in 5-01 and 4-02. Recalib of

4/12/2002 - 2001, 2002 Toyota RAV4. The Engine Control Module (ECM) calibration has been revised to enhance Engine Performance and to prevent a M.I.L. “ON” with DTC P0420 (Bank 1 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold) or DTC P0430 (Bank 2 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold) under certain driving conditions.
EG010-02 ECM CALIBRATION UPDATE - M.I.L. ON DTC P0420 OR P0430 AND ENHANCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE

these were the codes given her..and the inspection place told her they were O2 sensors...the service guy said the calib is good for 90K or 96 months under warranty. If the recalibration doesn't make the light go out he said it was the cat. It may be covered also he said. Wierd that when she called she gets the runaround. I mentioned I had looked on a Toyota website and had seen the tsb., and he was pretty nice... The codes were as stated above..I was told they are not for the sensors?

[hill8570]

Well, technically, P0420 and P0430 aren't exactly the O2 sensor, but a funky Sensor 2 (downstream of the cat) could potentially cause this to be thrown (the only way the ECM can monitor the cat efficiency is by monitoring the O2 sensor downstream of the cat). For a 4 cylinder engine, there should only be a P0420, since there's no Bank 2 on a 4-banger. If this has been a problem since Day One (which begs the question as to why it was ignored for five years), it's most likely the ECM calibration that you reference.

[pflug]

The check engine light had been coming on numerous times in years past..under warranty. Seemed to reoccur. She took it in to the dealer then, is what I am told. Will find out what happens tonight. She was calling the same Service mgr @ Toyota when I called my wife to see what was going on.