# P11DB- Safe to drive?



## Carminooch (Mar 23, 2018)

As the title explains, I’m throwing code P11DB. I looked it up and it’s showing an issue with the nox sensor.

I brought it to the dealership for the nox sensor and instead, they cleared my codes and performed a recall and said that because the check engine light isn’t on, the problem is solved.

Predictably it came back after I drove a certain amount of miles.

Now the dealership says parts have an unknown delivery date. This is the second dealership I’ve been to who’s failed to fix the car on multiple fronts. ANYWAY

I want to know if it’s safe to drive with this check engine light on?


I have a veepeak obdII scanner and can monitor various functions. I’m not very skilled with it but I’m getting there with tinkering.

Is it safe to drive and what if anything can I monitor to ensure that I’m not doing undue harm while I drive my car?


----------



## oregon_rider (Jul 21, 2017)

What year is your car? 

I have a 2017 and they had to replace the nox sensors. 

FYI - they said it was an updated part.

Jeff


----------



## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

*P11DB - NOx Sensor Current Performance Bank 1 Sensor 1*
     
*Possible Causes*

Faulty Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Sensor
Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Sensor harness is open or shorted
Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Sensor circuit poor electrical connection


----------



## Carminooch (Mar 23, 2018)

oregon_rider said:


> What year is your car?
> 
> I have a 2017 and they had to replace the nox sensors.
> 
> ...


Sorry it’s a 2018. Diesel hatch, manual.

I told them to replace the nox sensor. Instead they did the recall and sent me out the door


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Carminooch (Mar 23, 2018)

Blasirl said:


> *P11DB - NOx Sensor Current Performance Bank 1 Sensor 1*
> 
> *Possible Causes*
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info. Do you know if it’s safe to drive for now?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Carminooch said:


> Thanks for the info. Do you know if it’s safe to drive for now?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I am not a diesel guy. Better to ask one of the regulars in the diesel forum.


----------



## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

Perfectly safe to drive. Just may end up with a countdown. The NOx sensors are not needed for normal engine operation.


----------



## Carminooch (Mar 23, 2018)

Snipesy said:


> Perfectly safe to drive. Just may end up with a countdown. The NOx sensors are not needed for normal engine operation.


It’s been a while that I’ve been dealing with it. Thanks a bunch, that’s a relief


----------



## Carminooch (Mar 23, 2018)

An interesting note- posted are two photos of the log screen on my obd2 scanner. One photo shows normal function with no check engine light, the other shows the instance my check engine light returns for P11DB bad nox sensor.


----------



## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

The NOx sensor values at idle are mostly meaningless. You’ll either need to do a fluid check or drive.

The NOx sensors will also spit out garbage until they warm up and if the catalysts have not warmed up they will be higher.

I havent a clue what a bank 2 sensor 1 is.... Or even a bank 1 for that matter... That just doesn’t exist. GM doesn’t use that form of naming schemes.


----------



## Carminooch (Mar 23, 2018)

Snipesy said:


> The NOx sensor values at idle are mostly meaningless. You’ll either need to do a fluid check or drive.
> 
> The NOx sensors will also spit out garbage until they warm up and if the catalysts have not warmed up they will be higher.
> 
> I havent a clue what a bank 2 sensor 1 is.... Or even a bank 1 for that matter... That just doesn’t exist. GM doesn’t use that form of naming schemes.


Whoops I should have been more clear, I was maintaining about 70mph in both shots.

Do you know of any resources to use a scanner and PIDs better? I can’t find a whole lot on here


----------



## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

Carminooch said:


> Whoops I should have been more clear, I was maintaining about 70mph in both shots.
> 
> Do you know of any resources to use a scanner and PIDs better? I can’t find a whole lot on here


Get an obdlink and Gretio orrr a really expensive scanner. Or pirate.

I believe bank 1 sensor 1 and 2 are what you want. Those should correspond to NOx sensor 1 and NOx sensor 2. I’m surprised they are reading at all as GM usually doesn’t care about normal obd2 stuff.

I don’t remember exactly what driving should be but NOx sensor 2 being 30% of NOx 1 is usually okay. it looks like you are well under that.


----------

