# Oxygen sensor and fuel level issues



## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

chuckory said:


> I had to replace an O2 sensor in my 2012 Cruze Eco Manual at 50K miles. I have the bank 1 code going off again with performance issues and poor gas milage. The second O2 sensor was a Bosch and lasted 70K miles. Anyway recommend Denso over Bosch? Does that sound like the usual life expectancy of an oxygen sensor.
> 
> Another issue. For a while now my car has been giving me false readings on my fuel level. A code was being thrown that said the fuel level sensor connection was interrupted or something along those lines. I got an ACDelco fuel level sensor and swapped it out and I am having the same issue. Now this code is being thrown: U0109 lost communication with fuel pump control module. I think I need to drop the tank again and place the module or I have an intermittent electrical issue based on a short in some random wire. Anyone else experienced this issue and know the sure fire solution? Let me just say that is not my favorite job to do on a car but I got to do it twice already because I didn't get a fuel line at the top of the tank fully seated when I did the job the first time.
> 
> Thanks


As for the U0109 code, read this. Make sure you scroll down far enough to get to the meat and potatoes of it.


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## chuckory (Aug 31, 2018)

Thanks. Actually when my fuel line disconnected my car would turn over and not start so I will clear the codes and take care of the oxygen sensor. I will see if the code reappears for the FCM. I am really frustrated by the fuel level indicator still being so intermittent in it's accuracy and would love to hear what someone else did if they had this problem.


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## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

Couple years ago my niece sees an Intrepid with a for sale sign on it, wants me to stop and look at it. It has full service records for the short time the guy owned it, one month old tires, and a CEL. 
I scan it and it's an upstream O2 sensor. She buys it (for slightly less than the guy paid for the tires) and we drive it home. 

I read the stack of receipts and a couple months ago he paid a local garage to replace that very sensor, they put a Bosch in, which normally would have been my first choice too. 

I do a little reading and find out that when that car was made, Chrysler bought its sensors from NGK, and the output voltage was NOT the same as the Bosch part that Bosch recommended for that car. So I bought an NGK sensor, cleared the codes, and it started running right with no CEL.


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## chuckory (Aug 31, 2018)

I feel sorry for the other guy who put a ton of money into a car he let go for cheap thinking it was a lemon.


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## chuckory (Aug 31, 2018)

I replaced the sensor at Bank 1 at least two-three weeks ago as well as the air filter for the car. It is still misfiring after all this time and throwing the bank 1 code. Here are the three codes that were on the vehicle:

1. P0171 System too lean (Bank 1), 
2. P015B O2 Sensor Delayed Response
3. P1101 Intake Air Flow Performance

I did not manually clear the codes after the repair but I know there were two times that the check engine light has not been lit and then lit up again since I replaced the O2 sensor. I am considering taking it in to the dealer if none of you have any suggestions. On another note the code for the fuel pump control module has cleared and the fuel level sensor seems to be performing as it should. Those three codes were the same codes going off before I changed the O2 sensor. I am considering calling Bosch to see if I might have gotten a faulty sensor. 





Blasirl said:


> As for the U0109 code, read this. Make sure you scroll down far enough to get to the meat and potatoes of it.


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## chuckory (Aug 31, 2018)

My PVC valve is hissing like this one. Maybe that is my issue. I don't have a smoke machine to check. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIzmCtO7mMY


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## Taxman (Aug 10, 2017)

chuckory said:


> I feel sorry for the other guy who put a ton of money into a car he let go for cheap thinking it was a lemon.


The transmission let go less than 5,000 miles later. 
I don't know how much her driving style had to do with that.

And when it started slipping, she just hit the pedal harder (I nearly floored it and it'd barely hold 60mph, she says after driving it 200 miles to her dad's house).
Hitting the throttle harder does not make the clutches slip less. 
I just assumed everybody's natural reaction to seeing the tach go up and the speedo go down would be to soft pedal it until the clutches grabbed again.


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

@Robby can you help here?


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

Blasirl said:


> @*Robby* can you help here?


What is the question?.....several posters.

Rob


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Robby said:


> What is the question?.....several posters.
> 
> Rob


The OP's issue. i've added all I can. 






(I see I've hit the big 4k here)


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

chuckory said:


> My PVC valve is hissing like this one. Maybe that is my issue. I don't have a smoke machine to check. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIzmCtO7mMY


The P0171 being the first code, is your primary code. All codes that follow are resultant.....meaning, a result of the first code.
The P0171 is a severe vacuum leak, the following codes are telling you they don't have enough adjustability to cover for it.
In this example, the P015B is not a bad sensor....it is a sensor saying it is calling for a richer mixture (due to the vacuum leak) and it is not getting the result it is calling for.
The P01101 is the sensor seeing a air source entering the engine after the mass air flow sensor.

The most common cause of the primary code on this 1.4t (P0171) is the burst valve (often called PCV) located on top of and part of the cam cover. Usually you can hear it whistling under the spark plug cover. If you remove the plug cover you will see a disc looking cap molded on top of the cam cover and will note a relief hole pointing mostly forward. Put your finger tip over the hole to stop the vacuum leak.
The engine will immediately smooth out if the disc has fractured internally.

This means, at very least, the cam cover will require replacement but often the disc has failed as a result of a plastic check valve that is part of the intake manifold, failing......usually injested by the engine (speculation....we don't know where it really goes heh heh).

Search around or hopefully another member can give you a link to a few photos.....you will be looking down a port in the manifold once a vacuun tube is removed.
If the valve cannot be seen, a manifold is required or else, the vacuum discwill have a rather short lifespan. Without the check valve the disc is subject to constant high vacuum loads.

Odds are the sensor you replaced was doing its job.

Rob


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## chuckory (Aug 31, 2018)

I know what you are talking about. I saw it in another video and there is a guy who sells a work around https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En4WO7DYsTk. I have looked down that tube and can't see the orange valve that is supposed to be there. I figured that I replaced a perfectly good sensor last night when I saw these videos. Not a cheap fix. Do you or anyone else have the torque values for the valve cover and the intake manifold?







Robby said:


> The P0171 being the first code, is your primary code. All codes that follow are resultant.....meaning, a result of the first code.
> The P0171 is a severe vacuum leak, the following codes are telling you they don't have enough adjustability to cover for it.
> In this example, the P015B is not a bad sensor....it is a sensor saying it is calling for a richer mixture (due to the vacuum leak) and it is not getting the result it is calling for.
> The P01101 is the sensor seeing a air source entering the engine after the mass air flow sensor.
> ...


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

I do not have specs. but all are in inch lb. Very low settings for plastic parts.

I am told by the gang at the dealer I hang out at the the newest generation manifold has far more robust retention of the valve. I guess GM ( Chevrolet and Buick) got tired of buying manifolds for a two bit check valve.

Rob


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## chuckory (Aug 31, 2018)

Thanks


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## chuckory (Aug 31, 2018)

Thanks for getting Rob to post on here. He confirmed what I thought I had to do. Parts are ordered.


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## BRS Auto (Nov 30, 2020)

Robby said:


> The P0171 being the first code, is your primary code. All codes that follow are resultant.....meaning, a result of the first code.
> The P0171 is a severe vacuum leak, the following codes are telling you they don't have enough adjustability to cover for it.
> In this example, the P015B is not a bad sensor....it is a sensor saying it is calling for a richer mixture (due to the vacuum leak) and it is not getting the result it is calling for.
> The P01101 is the sensor seeing a air source entering the engine after the mass air flow sensor.
> ...


I have a 2012 Cruze 1.4 with codes p0171 and p0420. wondering where to start. should I be looking at the O2, the cat, or something else?


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