Sensor malfunction, or...?

[steagle]

Hey guys, I have a feeling my 02 Sensors are bad, but there's the possibility it could be something else malfunctioning that's sending the wrong codes to the sensors. First my air bag light flashes when i start the car then remains solid for the duration of the trip. Then my check engine light was coming on, until I took it to Autozone, got an error code printout, and now the engine light doesn't come on. Do you think the idiot at Autozone erased the code when he was still plugged into the port?? If so that's going to make it harder to troubleshoot unless something was stored in memory... at any rate here's the printout from Autozone:

TROUBLECODE OBDII (ALPHA) P CODE

TROUBLESHOOTING P0430
The PCM has determined that the catalyst system efficiency for Bank 2 is below threshold for the current engine operating conditions. (Bank 1 identifies the location of Cylinder #1, while Bank 2 identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank)

If any of you have had this same code before let me know what you did... I don't want to drop the $200+ to change sensors if that's not what the cause is... should I get it fully checked out at the dealership?

 

[Quik LS]

The Air Bag check is part of the SRS system and not related to the DTC code.

The air bag light will flash two codes - flash a series, pause, flash a series - that makes up a code - for example 3 flashes, pause, 6 flashes - code 36.

We can help you once you tell us the flash series.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

Your O2 code is for the driver's side rear O2 sensor. It's saying it has fallen out of the parameters written in the ECM. That could be two things: The O2 sensor is bad, or the catalytic converter is bad. The only thing the rear sensors do is monitor the efficiency of the cats.

Quik is dead on with the SRS light. You need to get that looked at. As long as there is a problem with that system, it may not activate in an accident.

 

[beaups]

or worse in theory it could activate the airbag when it's not supposed to it's not inconceivible that a wiring issue could fire the bag

 

[trinibassman]

I have the same problem with my LS but my code is for the passenger side. I'm getting the catalytic converter done because my gas mileage is down to 9.7mpg right now and I know thats the problem. Check it out soon because you dont wanna end up with gas mileage like mine.

 

[steagle]

ouch! i am getting bad mileage myself. around 13-14 city and 16-18 highway (at least, from the tests ive done the past couple of days with mixed driving and mpg resets). i am bringing the car in to check out a few things, so ill have them check the air & fuel filters while they are at it.

by the way, the check engine light went off, is this indicative of a fluke reading for whatever, or should i still be seriously concerned?

 

[steagle]

ps - trinibassman - what's your mileage? i am at 52k, so my natural instinct is it's not the cat, but they have been known to go before the legal limit of 80k. i am crossing my fingers this is not the issue but something much less severe.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

Steagle....those cats are warrantied for a LOOOONNNNNNG time! Especially in CA. I would check into that if I were you.

 

[steagle]

yep... 8 yrs or 80k i believe. i will be doing the full Lincoln diagnostic tests very soon and will post the results here. better to get all the tests out of the way despite the $$ :/