Oxygen sensor plugs--how to get to

[thomas12]

My 96 5.0L explorer has been running rough and the check engine light has come on. I had the computer read and it came up with bank 2 sensor 1. I know my truck has 4 O2 sensors and my guess is that the drivers side would be bank 1 and bank 2 would be the passenger side. So I have located these sensors under the truck and I'm pretty sure that I can reach them to unscrew the sensor but how in the heck do you unplug them. There seems to be know way to get to those plugs.

Maybe if I remove the console I could reach them from inside the truck but that's a lot of work. Is it possible to just cut the wires and reconnect them to the new sensor.

So, in short...how do you unplug them and what sensor is bank 2 sensor 1??

thanks for your help.

Thomas

[Turdle]

Bank 2 sensor 1 is between engine and first cat on driver side
for the bank 1 sensors---you remove console, roll carpet away from dash, and remove the access panel. Or hire a spider monkey--



edited, I had this reversed in my head-----

[410Fortune]

I chose to cut the carpet since the console covers it up anyways

sorry for the huge pic

Dont start replacing 02 sensors yet through. You see a rich or lean code from the 02 sensor usually means it is doing its job, what is your code?

[thomas12]

well bank 2 sensor 1 is the easiest one to get to. If it's the first one drivers side before the CAT then it's right next to the oil pan and no problem. Bank
1's will suck to replace.

the codes are:

P0153 O2 sensor circuit slow response ( bank 2 sensor 1)
P1151 lack of HO2S1 switches--Lean (Bank 2 sensor 1)

and a Freeze Code of:
P0174 System too lean (bank 2)

Sound familiar. I do know that about a year ago the EGR valve was replaced too.

[410Fortune]

does sound like a bad o2 sensor or just the wiring to it, the lack of switching codes mean the computer is not talking with said sensor, points to wiring or a bad sensor itself.
You can try swapping them
I have learned to get to all 4 sensors on my 4 door 5.0L Explorer' without removing the access panel, but you have to really work your hands in there, basically make love to your tranmission and be real familiar with the 02 sensor clips since you are working blind, also make sure there are no small children around to hear some of the words you may find yourself muttering.

Sometimes its easier just to take out the console and cut the carpet, or pull the seats

This is one of those times where you wish you had a known good spare 02 sensor laying around...be thankful your sensor in question is so simple to get at, make sure the qwiring didnt come loose of its clip and rub against the front d shaft or melt on the exhaust, it may be a real simple fix here. I had a similar code and after replacing the sensor with a known good one and still having the code, then checking my wiring from sensor to computer with a multimeter, I finally oufnd one of the pins inside the 02 sensor connector had been pushed in....took me 3 days to find, 4 minutes to repair