Troubleshooting

DTC P0038 OXYGEN SENSOR HEATER CONTROL CIRCUIT HIGH (BANK 1 SENSOR 2)

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION

DTC Detection Condition:

The heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) is used to monitor oxygen in the exhaust gas. For optimum catalyst operation, the air fuel mixture (air-fuel ratio) must be maintained near the ideal "stoichiometric" ratio. The HO2S output voltage changes suddenly in the vicinity of the stoichiometric ratio. The ECM adjusts the fuel injection time so that the air-fuel ratio is nearly stoichiometric.

The HO2S generates a voltage between 0.1 and 0.9 volts in response to oxygen in the exhaust gas. If the oxygen in the exhaust gas increases, the air-fuel ratio becomes "Lean". The ECM interprets Lean when the HO2S voltage is below 0.45 volts. If the oxygen in the exhaust gas decreases, the air-fuel ratio becomes "Rich". The ECM interprets Rich when the HO2S voltage is above 0.45 volts.

HINT: The ECM provides a pulse width a modulated control circuit to adjust current through the heater. The oxygen sensor heater circuit uses a relay on the +B side of the circuit.

HINT: Sensor 2 refers to the sensor farthest away from the engine assembly.

MONITOR DESCRIPTION

Monitor Strategy:

Typical Enabling Conditions:

Typical Malfunction Thresholds:

Component Operating Range:

Monitor Result (Mode 06):

The sensing portion of the heated oxygen sensor has a zirconia element which is used to detect oxygen concentration in the exhaust. If the zirconia element is at the proper temperature and difference of the oxygen concentration between the inside and outside surface of sensor is large, the zirconia element will generate voltage signals. In order to increase the oxygen concentration detecting capacity in the zirconia element, the ECM supplements the heat from the exhaust with heat from a heating element inside the sensor. When current in the sensor is out of the standard operating range, the ECM interprets this as a fault in the heated oxygen sensor and sets a DTC.

Example:
The ECM will set a high current DTC if the current in the sensor is more than 2 A when the heater is OFF. Similarly, the ECM will set a low current DTC if the current is less than 0.25 A when the heater is ON.

Wiring Diagram:

Step 1 - 3:

Step 4:

INSPECTION PROCEDURE

HINT: Read freeze frame data using the hand-held tester or the OBD II scan tool. Freeze frame data records the engine conditions when a malfunction is detected. When troubleshooting, freeze frame data can help determine if the vehicle was running or stopped, if the engine was warmed up or not, if the air-fuel ratio was lean or rich, and other data from the time the malfunction occurred.