Engine Oil Temperature Sensor

[DylanAB]

Good Morning,

I have 2006 Explorer 4.6 (Limited), it has been in the family since it was brand new and well maintained. It has been driven very easily as only a commuter vehicle and has never had any mechanical issues. Lately though, the Engine Oil Temperature sensor code (P0197) has been going off. I have replaced the sensor and the wiring for this and still have the same issue. I looked in the service manuals and the only thing remaining to check is if the ECU is going bad according to the service manual. I know newer cars do not have this and am wondering if I just leave it alone as is, will it cause any issues or damage? It currently does not affect the way it drives at all. I can clear the code but it will still come back within the day. I saw that someone on here had a similar issue a little while back but all they did to fix was wrap the cable. Is there a more permanent fix? Or is it even a major issue to be concerned about?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Good Morning,

I have 2006 Explorer 4.6 (Limited), it has been in the family since it was brand new and well maintained. It has been driven very easily as only a commuter vehicle and has never had any mechanical issues. Lately though, the Engine Oil Temperature sensor code (P0197) has been going off. I have replaced the sensor and the wiring for this and still have the same issue. I looked in the service manuals and the only thing remaining to check is if the ECU is going bad according to the service manual. I know newer cars do not have this and am wondering if I just leave it alone as is, will it cause any issues or damage? It currently does not affect the way it drives at all. I can clear the code but it will still come back within the day. I saw that someone on here had a similar issue a little while back but all they did to fix was wrap the cable. Is there a more permanent fix? Or is it even a major issue to be concerned about?

wrapping the cable (iirc) keeps the wiriif protected and from shorting etc, as these early 4Gs were known for wiring deteriorwtion iirc. and welcome to EF!

 

[94Eddie]

I don't think this is a critical item to fix since it is a code that indicates the oil temperature is low. If the engine is operating at its target coolant temperature then I don't see how the oil temperature can be low. Maybe it could be low if you have a robust stand alone oil cooler. If it was tripping a code that said the oil temperature is too high then I would be more concerned. The ECUs are pretty robust and I don't see it just tripping an oil temperature code if it is going bad. My guess is on a wiring insulation problem or corroded pin(s).

 

[DylanAB]

wrapping the cable (iirc) keeps the wiriif protected and from shorting etc, as these early 4Gs were known for wiring deteriorwtion iirc. and welcome to EF!

I for sure noticed the wire deterioration when I redid all of it and that still didn’t fix the issue.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I for sure noticed the wire deterioration when I redid all of it and that still didn’t fix the issue.

alright. yeah im going to agree with 94 here, i dont think its critical. plus it aint reading high, its reading low. usually oil temp lags a bit behind coolant temps when its heating (as in when the coolant reaches operating temp the oil should be there within a few mins in my experience) so if the coolant temps spike, oil temp will begin to spike. that kind of deal.plus oil is made to withstand high temps

 

[210kFerdExploader]

To clarify, The temperatures on the vehicle feed data to the ECU, and with the sensor having an issue the idle and performance of the vehicle change significantly. Shift points become mushy and too soft. It's important to insulate the wiring as even small electrical interference can throw off the low voltage reading from the sensor.