I just picked up my 97 F-150 3 days ago with 80,000 miles on it. I traded in my tahoe which was falling apart more and more everyday.
The ford has a check engine light coming on that gave autozone a code of 0141 (O2 sensor, bank 1, sensor 2). I've searched on here and took the advice that just because it's diagnosed, dosen't mean that's the exact problem.
Last night at work I took out the reported sensor and sprayed it down with Carb cleaner. I know this isn't a permanent fix, but thought it may tell me if it's the problem or not. I then disconnected the cables and got rid of the code. I drove it for about 20 minutes and it was fine then all of a sudden it spluttered out and died on me three times then the check engine light came on. After the light came on it quit dieing on me, but still sputters a little at low rpm. It idles between 400 and 750. COuld I have an IAC problem? If so where can I locate it? As I say, I've only been a ford owner for 3 days now.
Thanks

 

piggy back on the right side of the throttle body...check the hose running from the pcv valve to the rear side of the throttle body at the plenium....there at the 90 and see if it's not cracked....also with 80 on the truck,it would'nt hurt to change your upstream sensors....make sure you don't have any kind of leak around the cats

 

P0141 Downstream Heated Oxygen Sensor Heater circuit fault - Bank No. 1

Does this mean that the heater in the O2 sensor is faulty?

 

It could be any number of things. Maybe a faulty O2 sensor, maybe a problemw ith the wiring ( even to the point of the wiring in the OS sensor is what too a chit ).

The answer from the Blue oval. :

b]DTC[/b]
P0141 - HO2S Sensor Circuit Malfunction (HO2S-125)
Description
See DTC P0135
Possible Causes

Diagnostic Aides

DTC
P0135 - HO2S Sensor Circuit Malfunction (HO2S-11)
Description
During testing the HO2S Heaters are checked for opens /shorts and excessive current draw. The test fails when current draw exceeds a calibrated limit and /or an open or short is detected.

Possible Causes
-Short to VPWR in harness or HO2S.
-Water in harness connector.
-Open VPWR circuit
-Open GND circuit.
-Low battery voltage.
-Corrosion or poor mating terminals and wiring
-Damaged HO2S heater.
-Damaged PCM.

Diagnostic Aides
-wiring.
-Damaged HO2S heater.
-Damaged PCM.

LoCo F150 also got this the other day, and he has not posted back yet with what his was.

Again, without knowing when the last time the O2 sensors were replaced, changing the upstream O2 sensors might not be a bad idea, but if you clear the computer and the CEL comes back, don't be surprised by it.

You will note that the sevice manual does not specify that the O2 sensor is changed first, even though this is what AutoBone, or Pip Boys would tell you to change first.

This is the device that reported the error, not nessesarly the problem part per say. It might be the O2 sensor, it could be the wiring, it could be any of the list below.

Just some good old problem determination going on here to tell what it is.

Just food for thought, although I have never seen it toss a P0141 code, do you have a 4.6 ( your profile did not specify ) If so, you might want to look at the thread about the 4.6 and pinging in the engine section. Just a huge swag, as there is nothing in firm data to say this might have something to do with the code, but maybe the idle problem's cause ??

Then again the IAC could be the source of the idle problem, and a bad O2 sensor caused the CEL, so it might be 2 problems.

Never can tell until you get it into a garage, and start through the list of things to try.

Sorry I cannot give you a silver bullet to fix it my replaceing the blinker fluid, but at least this is a start.

If you find it, please post back the thing(s) that fixed the problem, as it could help the next person.

Good luck.

 

Well, today I tested for voltages on the O2 harness and everything tested fine, so I went ahead and changed the sensors.I drove the truck home from work, about 20 minutes and got clear to my driveway and the truck died and the CEL light came on.
I then proceeded to autozone to get the code pulled again and was the same 0141 code. The guy at autozone cleared the code for me and I've driven about 60 miles since and the light hasn't come on. I actually forced it to die, and the light still didn't stay on.
Is there any way that I could have not completely cleared the code when I disconnected the batter after installation of the sensor?
Anyway, the CEL light is gone but the truck will still die, but you must force it now. Before I cleared out the 0141 code and I'd drive till the O2 sensor was suppose to kick in (i'm guessing) and when it did it would just die when I stopped. This would happen 2 or 3 times and finally the CEL light would stay on and the truck would run normally again.
So I guess I'll pull out the IAS tomorrow and see if that will help with the idling problem.

 

Some have said that if they tapped on the side of the IAS ( similar to tapping on a starter selinoid ) that the idle problem would be ok, for a little bit.

Maybe trying this to see if the IAS is a known culprit ?

 

Well, I wanted to test out the truck again to make sure the sensors were really working. Something just seemed to easy. I got on the Highway and with in a couple minutes the CEL was on again. So back to square 1.

 

I know it sounds too easy but I sure would check the 90 degree rubber connector at the back of the pcv line. I payed $350 before I found out that it was the problem. The rubber connecter seem to just wear out. I have a 1998 F150 5.4L 4X4 that had what sounds like the same problem.

Steve

 

the reason the truck runs when the CEL is on is that it is in limp home mode. which runs very rich and your mileage will suck.

it sounds like the wires are bad to the o2 sensors. they are very very sensitive to resistance. you can ruin an o2 sensor if you use a volt meter that ohms to high.

my .02 is it is the wires to the o2's.

good luck-

 

Did the dealer give you any kind of 30 day warranty or something? Sheesh 3 days. This sounds like a prior existing condition. I take it back to the dealer.

 

Well, I have Mon. and Tue. off and have a 500 mile trip on Fri. so I was determinied to get this thing fixed today. I was still getting the 141 code so I started ohming out wires to the O2 sensor. Found a break in the htd.gnd wire about an inch above the connector. So Chopped that off above the connector and put a new pin on and reinserted back into the connector. I work in Avionics so I have use of everything for electronics you can imagine. Being said I'm electronics and not mechanical.
So I get everything back together, go for a drive and I get the damn CEL again. Went back to autozone and pulled the same code once again. So I know I have voltage to it, but no worky. So while I'm in there I convince them that they sold me a bad O2 sensor and change it in the Parking lot.
I couldn't beleive it, that was it. A broken wire and a bad sensor from autozone.
My truck is still idling kind of rough, but it seems as though the more I drive it the better it's getting. Can this be symptoms of disconnecting the batter? Thanks for all your help guys
Jason

 

Wow, talk about bad luck but heh glad you got it fixed.

They say the computer learns as you drive it. Have a safe trip.