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7 Posts
Hello All,
I wanted to start a new thread on this topic as it seems that many people have or will eventually deal with these codes. The issue is that these codes tend to come and go as they please, which creates alot of confusion. The mileage of the vehicles that get these codes are all over the board too from 48,000 up to like mine over 160,000. Then there are the numerous suggested fixes premium gas, fuel additives, long drives, replacing the cat(s) and or replacing an O2 sensors. It is mind numbing and hard to figure out the good from the bad ... I know first hand.
I tried all of the cheap quick fixes the premium fuel, long drives and the additives. The light always came back. Then the summer it went away, but once winter hit it was back and nothing I did turned it off. Even clearing the code, was only temporary still came right back. This went on for a year maybe a little more. This is what I have learned ...
The catalytic converter is a non-mechanical part, so the O2 sensors are the item tells your vehicle's computer and you whether the converters are working or not. O2 sensors wear out and or fail over time. That is why many consider O2 sensors a standard maintenance item that should be replace every 100K or sooner (I am now a convert to this camp). The challenging problem with the O2 sensors is that they don't always catastrophically fail. In fact, many times they just stop doing their job well. This forces your vehicles computer to make incorrect assumptions about what is going on with your vehicle. That is why the p0420/p0430 code can appear instead of the O2 sensor failure code(s). This partial O2 failure or "laziness", as some call it, can also account for the intermittent nature of the code and engine light. That being the case, it makes a ton of sense to first verify your O2 sensors are working correctly before you go hauling off and replacing the catalytic converter like the code would suggest. I have been told that one can verify the health of an O2 sensor with a code reader that has live data, but you'll have to research that further.
For me, what ultimately removed the code (p0420) was replacing the downstream O2 sensor, but that was only after I had replace the upstream sensor a few weeks prior. If I would have replaced both right off the bat I would have saved myself alot of time, money and energy. I bought plugged, not universal, Denso brand sensors as I believe Denso is the OEM for my 2006.
Knowing all of this information, I would strongly suggest to anyone who has ever had the p0420 or the p0430 codes pop up and is no longer under warranty (80K or less) to start the repair process by simply replacing both the up AND downstream O2 sensors on the bank that is coding. Replacing all of the O2 sensors at once might even be a better idea if you have a higher mileage vehicle like mine. Both bank one up and downstream sensors cost me under $160 and the install was only an hour or two of work. On the flip side, I could have followed the code and installed a new honda catalytic converter for $1000 and I still would have had to replace those two sensors. The point is bypass the quick fixes and put your hard earned money into new O2 sensors first.
I hope this information is helpful and saves everyone a lot of time and a chunk of change!
I wanted to start a new thread on this topic as it seems that many people have or will eventually deal with these codes. The issue is that these codes tend to come and go as they please, which creates alot of confusion. The mileage of the vehicles that get these codes are all over the board too from 48,000 up to like mine over 160,000. Then there are the numerous suggested fixes premium gas, fuel additives, long drives, replacing the cat(s) and or replacing an O2 sensors. It is mind numbing and hard to figure out the good from the bad ... I know first hand.
I tried all of the cheap quick fixes the premium fuel, long drives and the additives. The light always came back. Then the summer it went away, but once winter hit it was back and nothing I did turned it off. Even clearing the code, was only temporary still came right back. This went on for a year maybe a little more. This is what I have learned ...
The catalytic converter is a non-mechanical part, so the O2 sensors are the item tells your vehicle's computer and you whether the converters are working or not. O2 sensors wear out and or fail over time. That is why many consider O2 sensors a standard maintenance item that should be replace every 100K or sooner (I am now a convert to this camp). The challenging problem with the O2 sensors is that they don't always catastrophically fail. In fact, many times they just stop doing their job well. This forces your vehicles computer to make incorrect assumptions about what is going on with your vehicle. That is why the p0420/p0430 code can appear instead of the O2 sensor failure code(s). This partial O2 failure or "laziness", as some call it, can also account for the intermittent nature of the code and engine light. That being the case, it makes a ton of sense to first verify your O2 sensors are working correctly before you go hauling off and replacing the catalytic converter like the code would suggest. I have been told that one can verify the health of an O2 sensor with a code reader that has live data, but you'll have to research that further.
For me, what ultimately removed the code (p0420) was replacing the downstream O2 sensor, but that was only after I had replace the upstream sensor a few weeks prior. If I would have replaced both right off the bat I would have saved myself alot of time, money and energy. I bought plugged, not universal, Denso brand sensors as I believe Denso is the OEM for my 2006.
Knowing all of this information, I would strongly suggest to anyone who has ever had the p0420 or the p0430 codes pop up and is no longer under warranty (80K or less) to start the repair process by simply replacing both the up AND downstream O2 sensors on the bank that is coding. Replacing all of the O2 sensors at once might even be a better idea if you have a higher mileage vehicle like mine. Both bank one up and downstream sensors cost me under $160 and the install was only an hour or two of work. On the flip side, I could have followed the code and installed a new honda catalytic converter for $1000 and I still would have had to replace those two sensors. The point is bypass the quick fixes and put your hard earned money into new O2 sensors first.
I hope this information is helpful and saves everyone a lot of time and a chunk of change!
